KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah government is considering a proposal to address healthcare challenges and strengthen the medical workforce.
Raised by Senator Dr RA Lingeshwaran last week, it outlines 11 measures, including better incentives, improved career pathways and stronger family support for healthcare workers in Sabah and Sarawak.
Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor said the document warranted consideration as many healthcare-related challenges in Sabah remained unresolved.
Speaking at the state-level National Sports Day 2026 celebrations yesterday, he said sporting activities should be encouraged to promote healthy, active lifestyles.
“While sporting activities help people lead healthy and active lifestyles, which can contribute to addressing healthcare challenges, much still needs to be done.
“For this reason, the state government will consider a proposal to introduce special initiatives to address challenges facing Sabah’s healthcare sector.”
On the event, Hajiji said the National Sports Day is not merely an annual programme that brings people together for a day of sporting activities, but a movement to make sports, fitness and active living part of daily life.
He said sports played an important role in building a healthy, active and productive society, while serving as a platform to unite people regardless of age, race, religion, background or social standing.
Sabah has set a target of 651,610 participants for this year’s celebrations, which would require the commitment and cooperation of all parties, he added.
He said extending the state-level celebrations to districts such as Tuaran this year was a positive move to allow more people at the grassroots level to be part of it.
Celebrations were also held in five other zones across the state – Tawau, Sandakan, Beaufort, Kudat and Keningau – to ensure communities throughout the state could benefit from the programme, he said.
“The true success of efforts to cultivate a sporting culture should not be measured solely by the number of programmes organised or participants recorded, but by the extent to which people make physical activities and sports a regular part of their lives,” he added.
Hajiji hoped National Sports Day would spur more inclusive and accessible sports and recreational programmes to attract people of all ages.
He added that the platform should also identify promising young athletes at the district level and groom them to compete at state, national and international levels.
