SANDAKAN: The United Progressive Kinabalu Organisation (Upko) Libaran division has pledged its full support for Sabah Chief Minister, Hajiji Noor, while calling for the Sabah Maju Jaya (SMJ) 2.0 development blueprint to serve as a catalyst for the economic empowerment of indigenous communities and natives across Sabah’s east coast.
Upko Libaran chief and Upko Malaysia information chief, Dr. Peter Jr Naintin, said Sabah’s development agenda must not remain concentrated in urban centres alone, but should be translated into tangible progress for grassroots communities in Sandakan, Libaran and other rural areas of the east coast.
He said indigenous groups, including the Kadazan-Dusun, Murut, Rungus, Sungai and Bajau communities, must be given greater participation in the state’s economic growth through improved access to education, employment opportunities, business ownership and basic infrastructure development.
“We in Upko Libaran stand firmly behind Datuk Seri Panglima Haji Hajiji Haji Noor because we want to see the state’s development agenda genuinely reach ordinary people, particularly Sabah natives in the east coast region,” he said in a statement.
Dr. Peter also expressed appreciation to Upko president, Ewon Benedick, whom he described as consistently championing the rights and concerns of Sabah’s indigenous communities at both state and federal levels.
He said Upko Libaran’s support for the state leadership was also driven by the urgent need to strengthen the local economy amid rising living costs, limited job opportunities and uneven access to development.
Among the key priorities outlined by the division are expanding access to education and scholarships for indigenous students, including hostel facilities and higher education assistance programmes.
Dr. Peter said the party was also pushing for stronger economic empowerment initiatives involving fishermen, traditional farmers and young native entrepreneurs to ensure greater participation of local communities in the modern economy.
“Rural development cannot continue moving at a slow pace. Issues involving roads, clean water supply and electricity in indigenous settlements require immediate action because they directly affect the daily lives of the people,” he said.
He added that Sandakan holds significant potential as the economic hub of Sabah’s east coast through sectors such as fisheries, eco-tourism, education and the palm oil industry, but stressed that the benefits of growth must be distributed more equitably among local communities.
“Sabah natives cannot continue to remain spectators in the development of their own homeland. We want to see more local youths owning businesses, entering professional sectors and enjoying broader economic opportunities,” he said.
Dr. Peter also stressed that the protection of customary land rights and the acceleration of Native Customary Rights (NCR) recognition processes were critical to safeguarding the future of indigenous communities in Sabah’s east coast.
Meanwhile, the Upko Libaran committee will conduct a series of engagement sessions with local indigenous communities in Sandakan and Libaran to identify priority development projects under the implementation of SMJ 2.0.
According to Dr. Peter, the division’s support for Datuk Seri Panglima Haji Hajiji Haji Noor and the state leadership was not merely political, but rooted in a commitment to ensure Sabah’s development becomes more inclusive and delivers meaningful benefits to grassroots communities.
