The State Government has approved investments worth a total of RM11.5 billion involving 89 projects that generated some 4,566 jobs since the Covid-19 pandemic until last year, said Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Haji Hajiji Haji Noor.

“However, this does not include the Integrated Green Steel project worth RM19.6 billion at the Sipitang Oil and Gas Industrial Park (SOGIP) signed in November 2022.

“With this Green Steel project and other investments in the process of implementation, Sabah will be receiving a total of RM33.4 billion,” he said when chairing the Sabah Economic Development and Investment Authority (SEDIA) meeting at the Shangri-La’s Rasa Ria Resort here on Monday.

Hajiji who is also chairman of SEDIA, said of the RM11.5 billion, RM9.2 billion was Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) and another RM2.3 billion was domestic investments.

He said 72.9 per cent of the investments or RM8.4 billion was in the manufacturing sector, primary sector comprising agriculture, mining, commodity and plantation (RM1.6 billion) and the service sector (RM1.5 billion).

These investments were the cumulative efforts of the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA), State Industrial Development and Entrepreneurship Ministry, SEDIA and other related agencies, he said.

Now that SEDIA is directly under the purview of the Economy Ministry, the Chief Minister wants all applications and implementation of projects under the Sabah Development Corridor (SDC) to be better coordinated with set timelines and all procedures to be complied with.

The State Government also welcomed the People’s Income Initiative (IPR) launched by the Economy Ministry on Feb 26, 2023, which will help to lessen the people’s burden, especially the hardcore poor and B40 income group through programmes such as the Usahawan Tani (INTAN), Usahawan Makanan (INSAN) and Service Operator (IKHSAN).

Later, the Chief Minister broke fast with SEDIA board members as well as 100 orphans and students from four homes and Tahfiz centres in Tuaran namely HOME Tuaran, Maahad Tahfiz Assohabah, Tarbiyatun Nisa and Pusat Tahfiz Al-Quran Ash-Shabab Al-Mardhiyah where he also presented contributions to them.

Also present were State Secretary Datuk Seri Panglima Sr Haji Safar Untong, Chief Secretary of Economy Ministry, Dato Nor Azmie Diron, State Attorney-General Nor Asiah Mohd Yusof, Permanent Secretary of Finance Ministry, Datuk Sofian Alfian Nair, SEDIA Chief Executive Officer Datuk Seri Panglima Hashim Paijan, heads of departments and SEDIA board members.

Source:
courtesy of THE BORNEO POST

by BORNEO POST ONLINE

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