CHIEF Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor hopes more young Sabahans will pursue careers in the medical and health sciences.
He assured financial aid in the form of scholarships and loans for medical school attendance for children of Sabahans.
“I will request that Yayasan Sabah and the State Public Service Department give the application of medical school-bound Sabahans full attention.
“I hope this matter will be given sufficient attention since an increase in the number of medical specialists is also very much needed in Sabah,” he said during the Agenda Nasional Malaysia Sihat-Sabah Maju Jaya (ANMS-SMJ) Tour organised by the Health Ministry and the Sabah Government at Sabah International Convention Centre (SICC) in Kota Kinabalu on Sept 10.
He said the State Government and its strategic partners would keep working to make the ANMS a reality in the State.
He said the ANMS-SMJ concept is timely in promoting the wellbeing of the people of Sabah because it comprises a smart partnership between the Ministry of Health and the Sabah Government.
The ANMS was developed by the Government after extensive research and planning, with the goal of helping Malaysian families live healthier lifestyles and protect the environment.
He supports the ANMS, which is in line with SMJ’s vision as a means to drive and popularise the Government’s programmes throughout all strata of society.
He said the purpose of the ANMS is to improve the health and wellbeing of all Malaysians by promoting and encouraging an all-around healthy way of life, including the elimination of harmful substances from the environment and the promotion of positive mental and physical health.
“SMJ’s direction, which seeks to foster growth in the economy via the agricultural, industrial and tourism sectors, as well as in human capital, the wellbeing of the people, infrastructure, and green sustainability networks, is consistent with the goals of ANMS,” he said.
The Chief Minister said it is opportune to merge the ANMS and SMJ concepts, adding that Sabah’s future success in the agricultural, industrial and tourism industries depends on its people’s ability to maintain not just their physical but also their mental health.
According to Hajiji, for SMJ to progress, the public and private sector needs individuals who are physically and mentally fit to serve.
“I encourage all Sabahans to adopt a healthy lifestyle by engaging in regular exercise, eating nutritious meals, managing stress effectively, not smoking and keeping the environment clean,” he said.
He also called on the people of Sabah to come forward for health screening, especially those above 40.
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