KINABATANGAN: Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor slammed those who ridiculed the Sabah Maju Jaya Development Plan (SMJ), including turning it into a political satire.
He said these opposition parties show disrespect for the “Sabah Maju Jaya” which is the official motto in the Sabah coat of arms. He said Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) government’s initiatives in using the Sabah motto in its development plan is to dignify and empower the meaning behind it.
“We chose the name SMJ because it has been on the coat of arms of Sabah since independence.SPONSORED CONTENT Shell’s Access to Energy helps power lives of isolated communities in Sabah Kota Kinabalu: In 2017, Sabah Shell Petroleum Co Ltd (SSPC) launched Access to Energy (A2E), a Shell Social Investment programme aimed at providing affordable and continuous supply of electricity from renewable sources for communities who live without connection to the electricity grid. Read more “Yes it receives criticism by those envious of us, those who did not have a development plan, associating the motto with potholes or water disruptions. “It’s a bad intention because SMJ is a slogan that must be empowered and dignified. No one has used this motto before in developing Sabah,” Hajiji, who is also Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah (PGRS) President, said this at the Sukau and Lamag division meetings at Sukau Town Square, Saturday.
Also present were PGRS President Datuk Masiung Banah, Usno President Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia, PGRS Secretary General Datuk Mohd Razali Razi, Head of Information Datuk Nizam Abu Bakar Titingan; Sukau PGRS Division Head Datuk Juhari Janan and Lamag’s Abu Bakar Gapar as well as Sukau Deputy Chief Datuk Saddi Abdul Rahman.
About 20,000 local residents and from outside Sukau attended the programme which also featured guest artists, Fiq, Black Hanifah and Baby Shima as well as exhibitions and free health check-ups.
Hajiji said SMJ is not only recognised in this state, but by Federal through the Road Transport Department (JPJ) who agreed to make “SMJ” the special number plate of Sabah Government vehicles.
Hajiji who is also GRS Chairman, is happy that PGRS is beginning to be accepted in Lamag and Sukau.
“The future is bright and I hope both Division Heads continue to work hard to ensure that Sukau and Lamag belong to PGRS in the next elections.
“Gagasan Rakyat is a local party that we set up to continue our struggle in Sabah and it is a member of GRS. In GRS we have seven parties that will fight for the rights and interests of the people of Sabah.
“This is what we are doing because today’s gathering of the people and the launch of this party gives us a reflection that Sukau and Lamag need PGRS to move forward,” he said.
“Believe me, if we are united and work for the people, we can do it. We can change the situation of Sukau and Lamag as they wish,” he said.
Hajiji also assured to focus on Lamag and Sukau, especially the needs of the people in the area.
In line with that, he said he agreed to approve the project to build a Hall in Sukau worth RM3 million and supported the proposal to make Sukau a small district.
“The GRS government will ensure that Sukau Sub-district becomes a reality. This has been proposed for a long time but was not fought for by the previous leadership,” he said.
“Today we will make it a reality and we will make sure that the Sukau Subdistrict Office can be built.” Sukau PGRS Chief, Juhari said the people want local parties and it is certain that Sabah under the leadership of Hajiji, will make sure PGRS is heard by federal.
As for development in Sukau, he explained, the need for roads, water as well as land.
“Sukau, which is a tourist centre also needs a hotel or accommodation as an added value to meet the needs of visitors who come to visit the natural beauty, rivers and wildlife,” he said.
Meanwhile, Lamag PGRS Chief Abu Bakar said the Lamag or Kinabatangan area needs a sports complex for the youths.
“We also hope that the proposed creation of a new town in Kota Kinabatangan can be re-established because it has been delayed for so long,
“With the existence of the town, it is certain that development here can also be carried out in the best possible way,” he said, adding it is time Sabah has its own local coalition like Sarawak which has GPS.
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