KOTA KINABALU: Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor has dismissed the opposition's claim that Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) is a failed government.
"If the GRS government has failed, we will not be able to provide so much assistance to the people, and we will not be able to increase the state's revenue to more than RM7bil from only RM4bil previously.
"The opposition only knows how to spread slander and lies on social media. The two-and-a-half-year old government had no planning (when they were in power) but now talk like they know everything," he said, referring to the Parti Warisan rule from 2018-2020 under Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal.
Speaking at the SMJ Community Engagement Programme with the Chief Minister at Kampung Pantai Emas in Kota Belud district on Sunday (Aug 24), he said that various initiatives Warisan talked about were done long before they even came into power.
“Warisan has been talking as though they were the ones who initiated the Sabah Native Land Surveying Programme (Pantas), while in fact, it had been implemented long before them.
"I need to say all this because I don't want the people in Kota Belud to be hoodwinked by the opposition's lies," he said.
Hajiji handed over 10 land grants to 10 recipients representing 502 people at the function attended by Pintasan assemblyman Datuk Fairuz Renddan, Tempasuk assemblyman Datuk Mohd Arsad Bistari, Usno president Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia.
Hajiji, who is GRS chairman, also called upon the constituents to ensure victory for the coalition in all four state seats in Kota Belud.
In his speech, he listed out the successes of the GRS state government that ranged from increasing revenue to the creation of new sources of wealth through Blue Economy initiatives.
Hajiji said GRS had put in place some 400 initiatives under the Hala Tuju Sabah Maju Jaya (SMJ) development plan, adding that about 94% have been implemented for the people's prosperity and state progress.
These include welfare assistance schemes, General Assistance Scheme (SBAM), the Orphans Assistance Scheme (SBAY) and the implementation of the Sentuhan Kasih Rakyat programme (Syukur) that benefited a cross-section of society.
He also said that RM488.5mil has been allocated for various poverty eradication programmes. Additionally, the Sabah Database or Padans, will be used to identify suitable intervention assistance based on the profile of the household heads.
Hajiji said the state government had spent about RM1.33bil for the development of human capital under education.
In addition, Hajiji said the state had gained extra revenue generated from the oil and gas sector through the state's greater participation following the signing of the Commercial Collaboration Agreement (CCA) with PETRONAS.
