Day: September 27, 2021

KOTA KINABALU, Sept 27 — The 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP) will ensure Sabah remains in the mainstream of the country’s development, says Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Hajiji Noor.

 

He said this could be seen in Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s assurance that Sabah, Sarawak and the other less developed states would receive about 50 per cent of the total basic development allocation under the 12MP.

 

Hajiji said Ismail Sabri, who tabled the 12MP today, had ‘walked the talk’ when giving greater focus to Sabah in the nation’s five-year development programme, keeping his words during the recent Malaysia Day celebrations held here.

 

 

“The Prime Minister had assured that all issues regarding Sabah and Sarawak, especially in terms of development and those related to the 1963 Malaysia Agreement (MA63), would be given special attention.

 

“We are happy the Prime Minister kept his word by underlining the development of Sabah, among six other states in the country, under the nine focus areas of the 12MP. We also hope that the Federal government would be able to provide a timeline to resolve all the issues in MA63,” he said in a statement today.

 

Meanwhile, Hajiji said Sabah would benefit greatly from the RM3.1 billion allocation under the National Digital Network (JENDELA) programme to upgrade and build new telecommunication towers as the country moves towards greater 4G and 5G penetration.

 

“Sabah is looking forward to the JENDELA programme because the people, especially those in the rural areas are really in need of better digital connectivity,” he said.

 

He also welcomed the beefing up of security, particularly in Sabah, as underlined under the Fourth Focus of the 12MP that will see new army camps being set up in Kota Belud and Felda Sahabat, Lahad Datu as well as a General Operations Force Battalion Camp in Beluran.

 

Hajiji said the upgrading of the Sabah East-West power grid and construction of new power plants would boost power supply in the state, and although the proposed Southern Link Grid was not mentioned, the State government hoped it would also be approved because it was a priority project for Sabah.

 

“We are also glad that the development of the new customs, immigration, quarantine and security (CIQS) post at the Malaysia-Indonesia border would be carried out under the 12MP.

 

Thanking the Federal Government for its commitment to Sabah, he also hoped there would be quantifiable monitoring of all the development plans under the 12MP in the state, to ensure the planned developments are completed during the stipulated period.

 

The Chief Minister also assured that the state government would give its fullest support and cooperation for the development programmes under the 12MP to be carried out successfully.

 

 

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

IPOH, Sept 27 — Eleven individuals, including a woman were detained for trespassing into the Amanjaya Forest Reserve in the Hulu Perak district, early this morning.

 

State Forestry director Datuk Mohamed Zin Yusop said the individuals were detained at about 1 am today after the department received information about a group of people who were said to be participating in a four-wheel-drive extreme driving activity in the forest reserve.

 

“Our initial investigations revealed that they had entered the Amanjaya Forest Reserve and were heading to the Temenggor Forest Reserve for camping activities.

 

 

“All of them were found to have committed an offence by entering the forest reserve without permission from the Perak Forestry Department after they failed to produce the necessary documents,” he said in a statement here today.

 

He said all the suspects were detained while five four-wheel-drive vehicles were seized and taken to the Forestry Department storage facility in Bandariang, Gerik.

 

He said all the individuals who were detained at the Gerik Police Station have been released on police bail.

 

They are being investigated under Section 47(1) National Forestry Act (Adoption) Enactment 1985 for entering a forest permanent forest reserve without a permit which provides for a fine not exceeding RM10,000 or imprisonment for up to three years or both, if convicted.

 

 

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

 

 

KOTA KINABALU, Sept 27 — Ministers from Sabah and Sarawak are optimistic about the assurance made by the federal government in the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP) to resolve outstanding issues and claims stipulated under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).

 

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Sabah and Sarawak Affairs) Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Ongkili said the assurance showed the federal government means business in resolving the perennial problems on development and basic needs faced by Sabah and Sarawak.

 

“The development funds dedicated for less developed states, especially Sabah and Sarawak, are refreshing. Never before in previous Malaysia Plans have (they) given such focus to Sabah and Sarawak, MA63.

 

 

“Development issues of MA63 are among the focus in PM’s speech, and he did say he will personally be involved in monitoring implementation plans on Sabah and Sarawak,” said the Parti Bersatu Sabah president in a statement here today.

 

Ongkili noted that the Sabah and Sarawak Affairs Division (BHESS) will soon set up a joint monitoring unit with the Economic Planning Unit (EPU) to ensure infrastructure implementation plans are implemented, in accordance with MA63 development goals.

 

When tabling the 12MP in Parliament today, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the socioeconomic development of Sabah and Sarawak will continue to be given priority under the five-year plan in line with the federal government’s commitment to solving issues relating to the demands of the two states over the MA63.

 

Meanwhile, sharing Maximus’s view, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Parliament and Law) Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said he was confident that the government under Ismail Sabri’s leadership would be committed to the development of these two states, which is one of the priority areas under the 12MP.

 

“As a Sarawakian-born federal minister, I am indeed hopeful that under 12MP, more development and progress will take place in Sabah and Sarawak so that we will be able to enjoy the same facilities and infrastructure as the people in Peninsular Malaysia,” he said in a statement.

 

He also hoped that the rights of the people in Sarawak and Sabah as stated in the MA63 would be reclaimed within the 12MP period, as the people in the two states were hopeful of enjoying a development level similar to that in Peninsular Malaysia.

 

“Sarawak and Sabah had agreed to be part of Malaysia in 1963 because they (the people) were impressed by the system and well-planned development in Peninsular Malaysia,” he said.

 

He said the ‘unspoken promise’ to the people in Sarawak and Sabah was that they too could enjoy a similar development status after the federation of Malaysia was formed.

 

In the quest to make Malaysia a developed nation, Wan Junaidi hoped that more attention would be given to sustainable development, where more focus can be given towards conserving the environment, protecting wildlife, and environmentally friendly mining activities.

 

In the spirit of ‘Keluarga Malaysia’, he also reminded the government to not lose sight of the people’s happiness level and to ensure everyone will be able to enjoy the benefit of the country’s economic growth.

 

“Malaysia is a developing country and most Malaysians are living in urban areas.  As such, it is time for us to also look into issues concerning urban poverty namely affordable housing, improve social safety, and a more effective poverty eradication programme,” he added.

 

Meanwhile, Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi said bureaucratic red tape should be cut and the ‘Little Napoleon’ phenomenon avoided so that all development agenda under the 12MP including for Sabah and Sarawak could be fully realised.

 

Nanta said it was vital to ensure that the 12MP could enhance the country’s development and prosper the people in an equitable manner.

 

“Cooperation between the federal and state governments is important to ensure all projects could proceed smoothly, and that is why we want political stability,” he added.

 

 

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

 

KOTA BHARU, Sept 27 — Kelantan police have confirmed receiving a report on a vehicle with the registration number P45 being driven in a dangerous manner after a video clip went viral on Facebook yesterday.

 

Kelantan Traffic Investigation and Enforcement Department chief, Supt Shuhaimi Jusoh, in a statement today, said the case would be investigated under Section 42(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987.

 

He said the viral video showed a black Toyota Alphard dangerously overtaking a vehicle on double lines in Jalan Bukit Marak-Binjai, near here.

 

 

“There were other vehicles coming from the opposite direction near a bridge before the Chabang 3 Gong Dernim traffic light,” he said.

 

Earlier, the 38-second video was shared through ‘ANA TAHU’ (I know) Facebook account which claimed that the vehicle with registration number ‘P45’ belonged to a deputy minister.

 

 

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

 

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 27 — Tourism players in the country should focus on empowering digital businesses to rebuild the industry which has long been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, said Malaysian Association of Tour Agencies (MATA) president Datuk Mohd Khalid Harun.

 

He said they should keep abreast with current developments that are increasingly dependent on information, digitization, internet access, cashless payments and making domestic travel packages and no longer rely on conventional businesses.

 

“If we do not shift to digital business, then we will continue to lag far behind and our business will not be on par with international companies,” he said in a statement today.

 

 

Mohd Khalid said digital technology was being applied in all fields,  including the tourism sector which involved  economy, culture and social by highlighting new concepts, formats and models.

 

Many international and domestic exhibitions and conferences are moving into the digital age with no more being held physically, to avoid mass gatherings and close contact that could lead to the spread of the epidemic, he added.

 

 

 

Source: BERNAMA News Agency