Kuala Lumpur: Sabahans in Peninsular Malaysia can now feel a little closer to home with the opening of the Sabah Liaison Office or Pejabat Perhubungan Negeri Sabah (PPNS) Kuala Lumpur at 3 Towers in Jalan Ampang, here.
Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor said PPNS KL would serve much like an embassy for Sabahans working and residing in the peninsula.
“PPNS KL, a Sabah State Government agency under the Chief Minister’s Department, also acts as the Sabah State Government intermediary for dealings with the Federal Government involving administration affairs,” he said at the official opening of the office, here, Thursday.
Hajiji said the administrative landscape of the State Government had changed, hence the need for interaction between the governments such as on issues of migration, tourism, investment and diplomatic affairs, which necessitates the State Government to set up the Office.
Through PPNS KL, the Sabah State Government can implement administrative policies in a more orderly and systematic manner, he said.
“I want the Sabah Liaison Office to ensure our investor-friendly approach succeed. In this respect, I want the Office to bolster its role as the bridge between the Sabah and Federal Governments as well as with foreign embassies and private companies in the peninsula,” he said.
PPNS KL would also maximise governance management efficiency, an important factor in attracting more investors to come to Sabah, he said.
“I want the Office to also serve as an information centre with regard to tourism, culture and investments,” he said.
Hajiji said the Sabah State Government’s image would also undergo a rebranding with the establishment of the Chief Minister’s Official Office on level 23A, Penthouse of the 3 Towers, which is expected to be completed by the end of this year.
During the CovId-19 pandemic, Hajiji said the State Government through PPNS KL had planned and implemented various initiatives to assist Sabahans in the peninsula.
The PPNS has received nearly 200,000 applications from Sabah for the Bantuan Prihatin Covid-19 2.0.
“Through the PPNS, we have spent RM357,000 for the distribution of food baskets to Sabahans living in Peninsular Malaysia and another RM239,362.46 to help families to send their deceased back to Sabah in 2021. All these are done to assist needy people from Sabah,” he said.
Hajiji said the second pillar of the Hala Tuju Sabah Maju Jaya – human capital and people’s prosperity, would see the construction of a Transit House for Sabahans in Peninsular Malaysia, expected to be completed in December this year.
The new initiative would help lessen the burden in terms of cost for Sabahans dealing with their children’s education or medical needs, he said.
“As a government responsible for the trust entrusted to it, we will continue to fight for the people of Sabah regardless of religion and race,” he said.
PPNS KL has a staff strength of 34 headed by Director Sabariah Saffree.
Present at the ceremony were Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Sabah and Sarawak Affairs) Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali, Deputy Chief Minister III/Works Minister Datuk Shahelmey Yahya, Speaker Datuk Seri Kadzim Yahya, Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation Datuk Dr Mohd Ariffin bin Mohd Arif, State Secretary Datuk Seri Sr Safar Untong and Sabah Public Service Department Director-General Datuk Datu Rosmadi Sulai.
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