Voices heard, CM assures Chinese
Published on: Sunday, February 18, 2018
Kota Kinabalu: Chief Minister Tan Sri Musa Aman reassured the Chinese community in Sabah that their voices will never fall on deaf ears on the part of the government who always see them as important partners of development."I wish to assure the Chinese community in Sabah that we listen to feedback that you provide us, including through trade and cultural associations. "We continue to work with you to offer solutions that benefit the community and the larger Sabah population," he said in his Chinese New Year 2018 message. Musa stressed that the government understands the importance of education to the Chinese community and, therefore, has committed funds for over a decade now to Chinese schools and to places of worship through annual allocations. ADVERTISEMENT In return, he called on them to continue supporting the present government for the greater good of the state."We recognise the contribution and support of the Chinese community in Malaysia, especially in advancing the economic and commerce sectors. "Your hard work and sacrifices in running businesses and your commitment to ventures that you enter into are traits that should be emulated by those who intend to become entrepreneurs. I wish to call on the Chinese community to continue its support for the government of the day and for us all to work together to bring Sabah to greater heights," he said.He reminded that Sabah, as a melting pot, is a fine example of how its diverse traditions, ethnic languages and faith have bonded the people together instead of dividing them.ADVERTISEMENT "We learn from one another and focus on positive values that each person brings and by doing so, we create an atmosphere of harmony and openness. "My wish for Malaysians in Sabah is to not provide an opportunity for those with ulterior motives to disrupt the harmony and strong ties that we enjoy today," said Musa. He said for Sabah to achieve success in all that it has planned, Sabahans must stay united.
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He stressed that only by having political and economic stability will Sabah develop itself to be at par with the rest of Malaysia. On the economy, Musa assured that it remains resilient to both internal and external factors due to strong policies that have been put in place both at federal and state levels. Sabah he said continues to focus on the State Development Agenda, or Halatuju, which leverages on agriculture, tourism and manufacturing as engines of growth. These sectors he added fit into Federal government led initiatives such as the Economic Transformation Programme (ETP) and the Sabah Development Corridor (SDC). "Projects and programmes under all of these initiatives are delivering the results that are hoped for such as improving livelihoods, building infrastructure that support socio-economic growth and encouraging the creation of entrepreneurship ventures especially through the digital economy," he said. Education remains an important cornerstone in Sabah's development, added Musa. "By working with the Federal Government, research institutions and industry leaders, Sabah now has more options for school leavers to pursue an education. Skills training in particular are encouraged for locals to take up opportunities in sectors such as the downstream processing of palm oil, and of oil and gas," he said.On security, Musa assured Malaysians in Sabah and visitor, many of whom are now from China, that security remains an important agenda of the government. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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"We wish to see tourism continue flourishing and for other economic activities to proceed as planned. The Sabah Government works closely with federal authorities to ensure the Eastern Sabah Security Command (Esscom) is effective in keeping Sabah, particularly our eastern coast, safe," he said.