KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah government will continue to ensure sustainable development for the state’s urban and rural areas with full utilisation of resources towards spurring economic growth.
Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal (pix) said sustainable development was important to enable the people of Sabah to enjoy the state’s economic prosperity through the provision of employment opportunities, as well as services and basic facilities in a balanced manner between the urban and rural areas.
“The Sabah government will ensure sustainable development, not just from the economic aspect but also political, to ensure Sabahans, in general, could participate and benefit from the policies and (infrastructural) projects developed by the government.
“We will also enhance the implementation of the policies introduced, to ensure it is understood by the people,” he told reporters after opening the ‘New Sabah: New Challenges, New Realities, New Opportunities’ forum, jointly organised by the Institute for Development Studies Sabah and Kingsley Strategic Institute, here, today.
Mohd Shafie said the state government was also committed to developing a number of areas in Sabah, according to sectors and industries, including food collection centres to ensure the state’s fertile land could be used to plant quality fruit trees and vegetables, and with the potential for export, besides ensuring food security.
“I also ask that the relevant authorities in Tawau draw up a blueprint on building a food terminal,” he said, adding that developing the economic sector could create job opportunities for the locals and increase their income. — Bernama
