KOTA KINABALU, Sept 12 — The United Progressive Kinabalu Organisation (Upko) appreciates the commitment and seriousness of the unity government in dealing with issues arising from the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) through the Mid-Term Review (MTR) of the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP).
Its president Datuk Ewon Benedick said the seriousness was proven through several new initiatives implemented by the federal government to resolve the issue, including the relaxation of procurement rules and the handing over of gas regulatory power to the Sabah government in January this year.
“That commitment can also be seen through the handover of electricity regulatory power to the Sabah government which is expected to be finalised by January next year. This will allow Sabah to regulate the supply of gas and electricity based on the interests of the state,” he said in a statement today.
Yesterday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim when tabling the 12 MP MTR proposal themed “Malaysia Madani: Sustainable, Prosperous, High-Income” at the Dewan Rakyat Special Meeting said the development of Sabah and Sarawak will continue to be focused on.
In addition to the handing over of gas and electricity supply regulatory power to Sabah, the federal government will also build a renewable energy system project and upgrade the power supply grid in Felda Sahabat cluster, Lahad Datu, worth RM195 million, and a reconstruction project of a poor school building in the state.
In addition, a regional blood centre will also be built in Sabah, while a Public Health Laboratory and a Food Safety and Quality Laboratory will be built in Kuching, Sarawak to improve facilities for more equitable health care services.
Sabah and Sarawak will also benefit from the development of a sustainable and resilient transport and logistics infrastructure with the construction of the Sarawak-Sabah Link Road II and the construction of the Sabah Pan Borneo Highway Phase 1B.
Meanwhile, Ewon who is also entrepreneur development and cooperatives minister said that his ministry was ready to succeed in initiatives related to the development of entrepreneurship in this country in the 12 MP MTR towards achieving the status of a high-income country.
Commending the tabling of the 12 MP MTR, Ewon said, overall it is holistic and inclusive by focusing on efforts to improve the quality of life.
According to him, the initiatives announced by the prime minister are also in line with the five main focuses of his ministry to develop a sustainable economy and create a superior entrepreneurial nation. — Bernama
