KOTA KINABALU, April 20 — The Sabah government has been urged to rebuild the local micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) first before plunging headlong into post Covid-19 measures to revive the state’s economy.
Voicing his concern, Tambunan assemblyman Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan said the pandemic could drag the state’s economic growth down to zero or negative.
“The state government may have had all its plans in place prior to this, but these are probably no longer relevant and practical,” he said when debating a motion of thanks for the Sabah Yang Dipertua Negeri Tun Juhar Mahiruddin’s address at the State Assembly here today.
Jeffrey wanted to know about the state’s plans to resuscitate the MSMEs and other hard-hit sectors such as tourism and agriculture, as well how it would regain investors’ confidence.
However, he lauded the state government’s decision to impose a five per cent sales tax on all petroleum products in Sabah.
He also brought up the issue of the state’s revenue to be generated from oil and gas producers in Sabah resulting from the new tax, as well as the number and names of the companies involved.
On April 7, Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal announced that Sabah would implement the five per cent sales tax on all petroleum products effective March.
The assembly sitting continues tomorrow. — Bernama
