TONGOD: The water supply issues faced by Tongod residents will be resolved using allocations channelled by the Federal Rural and Regional Development Ministry (KKDW) to the State Government through the Rural Water Supply (BALB) project.
Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor said the authority to implement the project has been devolved to the State Government.
He said last April, the Federal Government, through KKDW, handed over the executive powers to the State Government to carry out BALB projects with an allocation of over RM4 billion provided by the Ministry.
“I hope Tongod will also benefit from this. This is what we always discuss with the Federal Government.
“If we discuss matters prudently and with mutual respect, then many affairs previously managed by the Federal Government or its departments in Sabah can now be managed by us,” he said.
He further explained that substantial relevant powers have been devolved to the State over the five years under the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) Government that he leads. Among these is the rural water supply, including in Tongod.
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Hajiji emphasised that the spirit of State-Federal cooperation must continue without marginalising Sabah’s interests, while simultaneously safeguarding Malaysia’s interests as a nation.
“Let us not strain our relationship with the Federal Government just because we are demanding State rights. Instead, we must also develop our country, Malaysia,” he said.
“Sabah is one of the states that formed Malaysia, so whatever we do must be done together so that Sabah can continue to move forward with Federal cooperation,” he added.
He said this is the approach that needs to be taken, rather than quarrelling with the Federal Government, which would only be disadvantageous, as Federal assistance is still required to develop Sabah.
He said even if Sabah’s revenue allocation increases in the future, including through the 40 per cent net tax payment, Sabah still needs Federal cooperation to continue being a developed State in Malaysia.
He said this when officiating the 2026 Tongod District-level Kaamatan Festival at Tongod Rakyat Square Open Hall, here.
Also present were Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Dr Mohd Arifin Mohd Arif; Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Industry Minister Datuk Jamawi Jaafar; Tongod Assemblyman Datuk Masiung Banah; Lamag Assemblyman Mohd Ismail Ayob; Telupid Assemblyman Datuk Jonnybone J Kurum; Qhazanah Sabah Berhad Chairman Tan Sri Anifah Aman; the event’s organising committee chairman, local leaders and residents.
At the event, Hajiji also handed over 239 Native Title (NT) land grants covering an area of 583.38 hectares (1,441.57 acres) to the people of Tongod.
Out of this total, 199 grants involving an area of 500.09 hectares (1,235.75 acres) were standard NT grants, while 40 grants covering 83.29 hectares (205.82 acres) were draft grants under the Sabah Native Land Services Programme (Pantas), involving seven sub-districts.
Regarding the Kaamatan celebration, Hajiji stressed that the festival not only symbolises gratitude for the harvest but also serves as an important platform to strengthen unity and harmony among the multi-ethnic population in Sabah. This aligns with this year’s celebration theme, “Harvesting Unity, Celebrating Harmony”.
Meanwhile, at a press conference, when asked about the proposed construction of a new Tongod town, Hajiji said the project would be implemented by a private company on their own land.
“Based on the briefing I attended here, a private company expressed their intention to develop the new Tongod town on their own land, which includes building government offices,” he said.
“We welcome cooperation between private companies and the Government. With the support of the local elected representatives here, this effort is expected to be realised in the near future,” he added.
Earlier, speaking at the event, Masiung, representing the residents, expressed his appreciation for Hajiji’s fourth visit to Tongod, which also brought good news.
His side hopes that the water supply issues, which still affect several villages in Tongod, can be resolved swiftly.
Hajiji requested Masiung and the relevant authorities to identify the affected areas for further action.
In another development, regarding efforts to increase the State’s food supply, Masiung encouraged residents engaged in paddy cultivation to boost their yields.
At the same time, he hoped the relevant ministry would continue providing fertilisers and other agricultural necessities to ensure crops thrive and yield good harvests.
He also proposed that at future Tongod Kaamatan Festival celebrations, a special award be given to the highest-yielding paddy farmer to appreciate their efforts.
Additionally, he said the development of the new Pinangah town is also among the agendas under the 13th Malaysia Plan, which is hoped to spur development in the area.
