THE Gabungan Rakyat Sabah-Barisan Nasional (GRS-BN) State Government has plans to further develop the potential of Sipitang based on the facilities for the oil and gas industry that are readily available in the constituency.
Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor said this would be easier to be realised if the State Government candidate contesting on the GRS ticket, Datuk Matbali Musah, won the Sipitang parliamentary seat in the 15th General Election (GE15) on Nov 19.
He said GRS will also propose that Matbali be appointed a federal Deputy Minister if he wins the seat so that efforts to bring about major changes in the district can be implemented more effectively.
“We can do a lot in Sipitang if Matbali becomes a Member of Parliament based on the potential in this constituency, and we will also suggest that he be appointed a federal Deputy Minister if he wins later.
“In Sipitang, we have the Sipitang Oil & Gas Industrial Park (Sogip) and we are already planning to further develop it in order to generate more economic activities.
“The GRS-BN Government has also signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with eight large companies in Sogip involving an investment of about RM20 billion. This could create between 10,000 and 15,000 job opportunities.
“So, imagine when this is implemented later, Sipitang will definitely become a developed district,” he said at a leader-people programme of the GRS Chairman and GRS Sipitang candidate at Bandar Mingo in Beaufort on Nov 14.
Hajiji, who is also GRS Chairman, said with the investor-friendly policy implemented by the State Government, more investments are set to be brought into the State, not only to Sipitang but also to other districts, including Kota Kinabalu.
“There are many other investments besides Sogip, including in Kota Kinabalu and other districts, which I will announce later when the agreements have been made.
“It means with the State’s investment-friendly policy, we can attract many investors. The priority is to create job opportunities,” he said.
Meanwhile, Hajiji explained that Deputy Finance Minister II Datuk Yamani Hafez Musa made his own decision to withdraw from defending his Sipitang seat despite being persuaded.
He said the other candidate for the Sipitang parliamentary seat was only named after Yamani did not respond on the matter a few days before the announcement of the GRS candidate for the seat earlier this month.
“He (Yamani) met me and said that he did not want to contest again in GE15.
“I gave him a chance because I think Yamani is a young and authoritative leader and even becoming the Deputy Minister of Finance,” he said.
Yamani is the son of the former Chief Minister Tan Sri Musa Aman, while Matbali is Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) Sipitang Division Chief.
Matbali faces a three-cornered fight against Sipitang Parti Warisan (Warisan) treasurer Datuk Adnan Puteh and Sabah Amanah Chairman Lahirul Latigu (Pakatan Harapan).
Hajiji expressed confidence in Matbali’s ability to carry out his duties as a Member of Parliament if given a mandate in GE15 to replace Yamani in an effort to bring about change in Sipitang.
“He (Matbali) is no less great than our other candidates or other leaders in Sipitang. By giving him a chance, it means that the people of Sipitang want development and progress here because he is a state government candidate,” he said.
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