He added that the government was working on addressing the issues of basic water, electricity and road facilities that the people have been facing for a long time.

Hajiji said government currently had an open policy towards investment, or was investor-friendly, to ensure Sabah continued to progress, including economically.

“We have formulated a policy to facilitate developers and foreign investors coming to Sabah because when there is investment, economic activities will run smoothly and employment opportunities can be created for the people. This is something we encourage,” he said.

He also stressed that the development of Sabah was not solely the government’s responsibility, but required cooperation from all parties, including the private sector, implementation agencies, entrepreneurs and the people.

Earlier, in his speech, Hajiji said Sabah’s development should not only be viewed from the perspective of Kota Kinabalu or the state’s major towns, but should be intensified in every district according to the ‘strengths’ of each area to ensure continued growth.

On the LPPB project launch todya, he said it should be seen as part of Sabah’s development journey and not merely as a commercial project.

“Semporna has highly valuable natural assets, namely the beauty of its islands. However, to ensure this potential is translated into greater economic benefits for the people, we need complementary development,” he added.

He said the strategic location of the Jalan Bubul commercial area along the main Balung-Semporna route provided the potential for the area to develop into one of the state’s new trade and business areas.

He said the development area also had the advantage of being located near a river and the sea, making it suitable for consideration by developers for the construction of a jetty.

He added that a suitable and beautiful jetty can add value to the area, allowing people to enjoy the river and sea views, relax, watch the sunset and take photographs.

-- BERNAMA