Sabah the poorest states?That's so yesterday!

Everyone has their own opinion on how to view poverty in Sabah. Some like to generalize their opinion based on what they hear and see. Some makes the assumption that Sabah is poor after going to one or two 'Kampongs' that has several dilapidated house, without realizing that the occupants has a huge EPF & KWSP savings!!

The Prime Minister himself has declared that Sabah is not the poorest states in Malaysia anymore. While some argues that Najib's statement was merely meant to instill the 'feel good' effect among Sabahan, i think Najib had a point there. As the Prime Minister, he should had the access to all the information and statistic related to the states. It is possible that he made the statement based on the information he gathered before he came to Sabah.

So it's official, we are not the poorest states anymore!!

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Poverty tag belies Sabah’s riches

Najib debunks poorest state stigma; Sabah is 6th richest in Malaysia

Prime minister Najib Razak is right. Look around Sabah and you see riches everywhere, even in the remotest village where he went yesterday. Kampung Nala, in Tunku, about 60km (37.5 miles) from Lahad Datu, deep in the eastern side of Sabah, was a mangrove swamp. Today, it is a vibrant rich village with clean piped water, electricity and modern amenities. The houses there fetch about 60,000 ringgit ($19,700) each. Sabah, said Najib, is not the poorest state.

Datuk Seri Najib Razak

In fact, Sabah’s gross domestic product (GDP) in 2010 was 31.6 billion ringgit, making it the sixth richest in Malaysia just behind Penang and ahead of Perak on peninsular Malaysia. Najib said there were only 7,000 poor people, down from 30,000. He did not give a date for the figure but said probably 70% of the people could be said to be poor before Sabah became part of Malaysia in 1963. Sabah then had a population of about 600,000.

In Kota Kinabalu capital city and towns, buildings are sprouting and all kinds of civil works are being carried out at a dizzy pace. Property prices have rocketed and Sabahans complain of rising prices because there is too much money chasing too few goods.

Kota Kinabalu City

Many of the 3.2m people who live in rural Sabah have benefited from the government’s mini estate programme (mesej) where they are given land to develop cash crops such as oil palms and rubber.

In Nala alone, according to Najib, the Federal Land Development Authority (Felda) has spent 22m ringgit on its development. Felda also gives 50m ringgit a year to the Sabah government for such socio-economic programmes to bring wealth to villagers.

Najib said 15,455 houses and 458km of roads were being built in rural Sabah this year and 68,000 village homes would get piped water. These projects are the result of close ties between the Sabah and federal governments, he added.

Tan Chong Motor Holdings Berhad

 Another telltale sign that Sabah is rich is that Tan Chong Motor Holdings Berhad, one of Malaysia’s biggest car assemblers, which sells Nissan and Renault cars, is building a factory at the Kota Kinabalu Industrial Park (KKIP) to make and assemble luxury passenger and commercial vehicles. It is investing 285m ringgit in its plant on 20 hectares (50 acres) of land that will roll out the first 3,000 4-wheel drive vehicles. Its 1.8-litre luxury car will have an on-the-road price of at least 150,000 ringgit. – Insight Sabah

Read More: http://insightsabah.gov.my/article/read/1704

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Sabah Determined To Ensure Its Economy Grows At 5 Per Cent This Year

KOTA KINABALU, Feb 25 (Bernama) -- The Sabah government is determined to ensure its economy grows at the projected rate of between 4.5 and five per cent this year despite weak global and regional conditions, said Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman.

Datuk Seri Musa Aman

He said Kota Kinabalu Industrial Park (KKIP) was expected to play a key role in achieving the targetted result.

"I am pleased to learn (from the CEO of KKIP Sdn Bhd) that planned projects in the industrial park are progressing well," he said in his remarks at the KKIP 18th Anniversary Dinner here.

Kota Kinabalu Industrial Park

Musa, who is also State Finance Minister, said the state government hoped that KKIP would take appropriate and solid steps in order to achieve higher and faster rate of progress in industrialisation.

--BERNAMA

Read More : http://www.bernama.com.my/bernama/v6/newsbusiness.php?id=648038

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Sabah: Investment gateway

The articles is about Sabah's economic performance for 2011 and its potentials in the future. The location of Sabah and the condition of its infrastructure, which is properly maintained and complete, makes the states as the leading contender to become an investment gateway in the region.

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Economic Update

Sabah: Investment gateway 

Asia | 28 Nov 2011

With investors and policy makers gathering in Kota Kinabalu in late October for a key investment forum, Sabah’s decision makers were able to present a picture of growing confidence in the state’s economy and in its ability to leverage Sabah’s unique position in the Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines-East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA).

The manufacturing sector, which has benefitted from increasing investments of late and is looking to the sub-region to expand its markets, was highlighted as a promising investment growth area, with a major new industrial park likely to be key to this development.

At the Sabah Domestic Investment Seminar held in Kota Kinabalu on October 25, Malaysia’s international trade and industry minister, Mustapa Mohamed, said in his keynote address that between January and August, the nation’s manufacturing sector accounted for more than 86.3% of Malaysia’s total exports, with most going to China, Singapore, Japan and the US.

However, for the rest of 2011, ASEAN and China will be the main destinations for Malaysia’s exports, the minister said. Over the same period, Malaysia’s total international trade grew by 7.9% to RM830.23bn ($265.42bn). Generating that kind of growth in Sabah’s manufacturing sector – and international trade – has long been an aim of the state’s development policies.

Historically dependent on raw material exports for revenue, moving Sabah’s economy up the value chain is thus a goal restated in many state master plans and federal budgets, including the 10th Malaysia Plan and the recent national budget for 2012.

Some results of this are already evident. Approved investments in Sabah’s manufacturing sector were worth RM692.3m ($211.32m) between January and August, the minister said. Additionally, the Malaysian Industrial Development Finance − a Ministry of International Trade and Industry agency − approved loans totalling RM611m ($195.34m) for 635 manufacturing and service-based projects in the state.

Datuk Seri Panglima Musa Aman

Following the minister’s keynote address, Sabah’s chief minister, Musa Aman, said in a speech read by state minister of industrial development, Raymond Tan Shu Kiah, “I believe, with the Industrial Development Ministry’s special attention and assistance, Sabah will be able to attract more investments into the manufacturing sector and subsequently bring industrial development to a higher level.”

Datuk Raymond Tan Shu Kiah

One way of doing this is to boost trade with the surrounding sub-region. This had been highlighted a few days before the investment gathering, when high-level politicians from Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines met for the 16th BIMP-EAGA Ministers Meeting in Cagayan De Oro, Philippines.

One of the most urgent issues discussed by the four leaders was the necessity to improve connectivity in order to further boost investment in the region, Tan said in comments made to reporters after the Kota Kinabalu gathering.

Tan also stated that Sabah’s location in the middle of the BIMP-EAGA region was fortunate, as it enables the country to act as a gateway to facilitate investment. “We can see the interest and we can attract the investment that covers the whole region,” Tan said.

One outstanding issue, however, is how BIMP-EAGA nations can connect with one another to make it easier for business investors to move around the region. Tan said Sabah’s strategic location could hold the answer.

“With our position, we could actually get everybody connected with us. So there would be greater movement and ability to collaborate and share in terms of investments that come into this region,” he said.

Read more: http://www.oxfordbusinessgroup.com/economic_updates/sabah-investment-gateway

 

 

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POLICY TO EXPAND EXPORT EARNINGS TO RM242 BILLION

KOTA KINABALU: Implementation of the newly unveiled National Commodity

Policy (NCP) is expected to contribute significantly towards the expansion of the 

nation’s export earnings to RM242.5 billion by 2020.

“This represents an annualized growth rate of 7.9 per cent,” said Plantation Industries 

and Commodities Minister Tan Sri Bernard Dompok, adding that the Policy’s thrust 

focuses on strengthening the contribution of this sector to the national economic 

development, modernization of the commodity sector, generating new sources of 

growth, enhancing competitiveness and market expansion, development of smallholders 

and entrepreneurs, and strengthening human capital development.

Speaking during the Commodity-Media Night on Friday, Dompok disclosed that NCP 

provides the strategic direction for the development of the plantation and commodities 

industry comprising palm oil, rubber, timber, cocoa, tobacco, sago and kenaf products by 

2020.

“Implementation of the strategies outlined under NCP will further strengthen the resilience 

of this sector and continue its role as one of the pillars of the economy in the longer term. 

In addition, the enablers identified under the policy is envisaged to further enhance the global 

competitiveness of the plantation and commodity sector,” he said.

The commodity industry, he added, has assumed a pivotal role in the agricultural sector by 

charting consistent growth and export earnings for the country.

This sector has transformed itself from a producer and exporter of raw materials into a vibrant 

and dynamic sector through exports of processed and semi-processed products, and this is 

reflected in the growth in export earnings, where it recorded an export growth of 24.3 per cent 

in 2010 to RM114.2 billion, compared to RM91.2 billion in 2009.

In 2011, exports of commodity based products was valued at RM141.2 billion, an increase on 

23.7 per cent, compared to 2010.

“I am of the view that the commodity sector will continue to remain as one of the main pillars of 

the economy in the years to come. This is taking into account Malaysia’s expertise in the 

development of this sector and the investments in research and development that has contributed 

to towards development of new products.

 
“In addition, the industry has shown its resilience by contributing towards development of new 

products and markets. The aggregation of the joint efforts by the government and the industry, and 

the contribution of the smallholders has placed Malaysia as one of the world leading producers of 

palm based products, rubber, furniture, cocoa and pepper products,” said Dompok.

He added the NCP provides commodity specific strategies to guide the development of the 

respective commodity.
 

“In the case of the oil palm, the focus, among others, is enhancing productivity and intensifying research 

and development of new products, while in the case of the rubber industry, it focuses on, among others, 

increasing productivity and global share of Malaysian rubber-based products, and in the case of cocoa 

and pepper, they focus on strategies to strengthen and expand these two industries.”
 

Implementation of the strategies under NCP is expected to further strengthen its contribution to Gross 

Domestic Product (GDP). 
 

It is envisaged that for period 2011-2020, the GDP of upstream sector is expected to grow at 2.7 

per cent per annum to RM29 billion in 2020.
 

This is in addition to creation of new job opportunities, multiplier effects to other sectors of the economy, 

new business opportunities and increase in income, especially to its smallholders.
 

“The development of the commodity sector is not without challenges. The pertinent one being the need for 

continuous investment in Research and Development activities in the development of new products. 

We need to create new products that has a market base of its own.
 

“In this context, NCP places emphasis on the development of new products, such as innovative furniture 

products and other downstream value added products utilizing rubber, cocoa and pepper. 

This is an addition to develop new products by the oil palm sector covering oleo-chemicals, food and 

nutraceutical products,” he said.
 

Dompok added that the commodity sector is also confronted by the issue of sustainability, and recently, 

the oil palm sector has been alleged with being responsible for deforestation and loss of the Orang Utan 

habitat.
 

“These issues not properly addressed ma y damage and tarnish the image of our industries. This is where a 

strategic direction is needed to ensure that the commodity industries remain competitive and progressive. 
 

“As outlined in the NCP, efforts in improving productivity and efficiency would overcome the issues of limited 

land resource and labour. In line with the liberalisation of international trade and the growing ‘green movement’,

the production of innovative, environmentally friendly and high value-added products will be multiplied and 

intensified focusing on new and niche markets. In summary, in the next 10 years, the government is determined 

to transform the commodity industries to be economically competitive, environmentally sustainable and 

socially rewarding, particularly to the smallholders,” he said.
 

At the event, Borneo Post senior reporter Nancy Lai received a special reward from the ministry in recognition

to her outstanding performance.

- Borneo Post, 19 February 2012

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POIC Tarik Pelaburan RM 4.5b Dalam 5 Tahun

Lahad Datu: Kluster Industri Minyak Sawit (POIC) telah menarik pelaburan berjumlah 

rm4.5 b sejak sejak peubuhannya pada 2008, kata ketua pegawai eksekutif POIC 

Sabah Sdn Bhd, Datuk Dr Pang Teck Wai. 

 "Kita juga menyaksikan tumpuan terbesar syarikat utama Malaysia dan Pelaburan pada 

satu Lokasi geografi di Sabah, " beliau dipetik sebagai berkata dalam taklimatnya kepada 

Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, di ibu pejabat POIC di sini. 

 Selain kepantasan POIC menarik 39 pelabur, kata beliau, daya maju komersial ini diakui 

oleh Petronas, yang melabur dalam terminal penggasan semula dan Tenaga Nasional 

Berhad yang membina loji kuasa 300MW yang dijadualkan mula beroperasi pada 2015. 

 Pang berkata sebuah perlaburan Kontena sedang dirancangkan untuk menarik perlaburan 

perindustrian berjumlah rm100 billion dalam 20 tahun akan datang, dan meningkatkan 

pendapatan per kapita penduduk Sabah. 

 Beliau berkata POIC berhasrat memanfaatkan lokasi geografinya dalam Kawasan 

Pertumbuhan Asean Timur Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia- Filipina(BIMP-EAGA) dan

perlaburan laut dalam semulajadinya untuk memperluas kegiatan dengan menceburi sektor 

minyak dan gas, serta membangunkan sebuah hub logistik serantau. 

"Sumbangan berpotensi sebanyak RM9.35 bilion tanpa perlaburan Kontena akan meningkat 

menjadi RM 19.7 billion jika ada perlaburan Kontena." 

 "Dari sudut pendapatan negara kasar (PNK), sumbangannya ialah RM 8.39 bilion dengan 

pelabuhan dan RM 3.49 bilion tanpa kemudahan itu, " katanya, sambil memetik laporan oleh 

PEMANDU (Unit Pengurusan Prestasi dan Perlaksanaan di Jabatan Perdana Menteri). 

 POIC terletak di bawah bidang ekonomi Utama Negara Sawit Program Transformasi 

Ekonomi yang bertujuan meningkatkan pendapatan daripada kelapa sawit sebanyak tiga kali 

ganda, yang melebihi RM80 bilion tahun lepas.

Pang berkata POIC Sabah juga sedang mengkaji untuk menjadikan sektor-sektor berasaskan 

sumber sebagai indistri dan menggalakkan perkembangan perusahaan kecil dan sederhana 

dalam bidang perkayuan, akuakultur dan makanan. 

POIC juga menempatkan kluster baja terbesar di Malaysia dengan lapan kilang yang 

mengeluarkan lebih sejuta tan metrik baja setahun. 

 Pang juga memberitahu Najib bahawa satu alat tuaian sawit mekanikal prototaip - Mesin 

Pertanian Malaysia-China - telah dibangunkan bersama oleh Malaysia dan China. China 

adalah pengimport utama minyak sawit Malaysia. 

 Beliau berkata mesin itu dijangka dapat menyelesaikan masalah pengantungan Malaysia kepada 

tenaga buruh asing dalam industri minyak sawit. 

Pekerja asing menguasai lebih 92 peratus tenaga kerja penuaian tandan buah segar sawit. 

"Mekanisasi rantaian pengeluaran Sawit adalah antara empat teras utama yang akan 

meningkatkan pendapatan daripada minyak sawit sebanyak tiga kali ganda mulai sekarang 

hingga 2020, " katanya. 

Hadir pada sesi taklimat itu ialah Ketua Menteri, Datuk Seri Musa Aman, Menteri Pembangunan

Perusahaan Negeri dan Pengurusi POIC Sabah, Datuk Raymond Tan Shu Kiah, serta 

menteri-menteri Kabinet. 
-Bernama


Artikel ini dipetik daripada Harian Ekspress ruangan Ekonomi, 19 Februari 2012     

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Good State - Federal Relation a blessing in disguise for Sabah

Under the Chief Minister Musa Aman, the relation between Sabah and the Federal Government has been in a good terms. Officers and Minister from both side is actively engaging and communicating, which is why most of the Federal Minister know what Sabah really want.

One of the important thing that Sabah need are job opportunity. And behold!, 15,000 job for Sabahan!

Read the following article for more info

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ETP projects to create 150,000 jobs

 

KOTA KINABALU: Thirty-one new Entry Point Projects across Sabah have been identified under the Economic Transformation Programme (ETP) initiatives with a target investment of RM77.5 billion by 2020.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak holding up facilitation fund letters of offers to fund six key projects under the Sabah Development Corridor (SDC) during the opening of SDC Open Day: Corridors and Regional Cities Programme in Kota Kinabalu yesterday. With him are (from left) Sabah Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan, Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman and Sedia chief executive Datuk Dr Mohd Yaakub Johari. Pic by Malai Rosmah Tuah

Identified for implementation by the Corridors and Regional Cities labs for the Sabah Development Corridor (SDC), the ETP projects are expected to generate RM35.5 billion incremental gross national income (GNI) and create 150,000 new jobs.

The ETP projects were unveiled by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak during the launch of the SDC Open Day: Corridors and Regional Cities Programme here.
 

The one-day event presented comprehensive information from the various labs after an intensive eight-week programme held last year with focus to drive the economic corridors of Sabah to bring the state on a par with other high-income  Asian economies.

The ETP projects cover tourism, palm oil, agriculture, oil and gas, education, manufacturing and logistics. 

Najib said the government had spent much effort and resources on the ETP to ensure that all strata of societies benefited from it.
 

The government is constantly monitoring and reviewing directions, strategies and programmes for ETP to ensure the nation emerges as a high-income nation."
 

The government has set a target of nine per cent growth annually and aspires to achieve RM110 billion GNI for Sabah in 2020, which translates into GNI per capita of RM32,400.
 

"The government is committed to realising our vision set out in the ETP for Malaysia to become a fully-developed and high-income nation by 2020."
 

Driven by 12 National Key Economic Areas,  131 Entry Point Projects have been identified nationwide within the designated sectors to help grow the national economy with the goal of a per capita income of RM48,000 and more than 3.3 million new jobs by  2020.

Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman commended the SDC for  implementing various projects, noting that RM1.2 billion had been effected in transforming the economic landscape of Sabah.
 

Thanking the prime minister for ensuring Sabah's economic development moves in tandem with corridors in the other states, Musa said the state had received more than RM500 million from the Public-Private Partnership fund for the various ETP projects.

Najib also presented to Musa a mock cheque for RM459.2 million approved by the Federal Government under the Facilitation Funds for six priority ETP projects in Sabah.

To be implemented at a cost of RM5.1 billion,  ETP projects range from tourism to health as well as power plant projects.

Read more: ETP projects to create 150,000 jobs - General - New Straits Times http://www.nst.com.my/local/general/etp-projects-to-create-150-000-jobs-1.47975#ixzz1mcL1nXgU

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Projects benefits all communities in Sabah

KOTA KINABALU: More than RM1.2bil worth of projects under the Sabah Development Corridor (SDC) have been awarded and these have benefitted all communities.

Sabah Economic Development and Investment Auhority chief executive said Datuk Dr Yazakub Johari said the ongoing SDC projects include the Keningau Integrated Livestock Centre.

Other projects were the various agriculture related or agripolitan schemes in Tongod, Pitas, Kemabong, Kota Belud and Beluran districts.

“All these have benefitted the poor especially the Kadazandusun Murut communities.

“The records are all there for everyone to see, especially the communal title holders who are the main beneficiary of these agropolitan projects,” he said.

He said Sedia, the state agency responsible for the implementation of the SDC prjects said the authority adopted a transparent approach in carrying its duties.

“All SDC projects are funded by the Federal government and they are therefore subjected to stringent rules and procedures as stipulated in the Treasury Instructions,” Yaakub said.

Citing an example, he said all SDC projects were awarded through an open tender process with invitations to bid advertised in major local newspapers detailing specific requirements.

“The tender bidders were then subjected to a series of technical and financial evaluations by the various committees comprising members drawn from related government agencies.

“Only qualified bidders were shortlisted for the deliberation of Sedia tender boards,” he added.

NGO KDM Malaysia vice president Datuk Peter Anthony recently questioned why SDC projects were benefitting only certain groups.

He said local businessmen had complained that SDC projects were being awarded mainly Sarawakian companies resulting in Sabah contractors being sidelined.

The article was written by Ruben Sario, Taken from The Star Online (http://www.thestar.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2012/2/16/southneast/10725018&sec=southneast) 

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RM4.5 billion Sabah Ammonia-Urea (Samur) complex

We might only get 5% of  Oil Royalty from the Federal Government, but that doesn't mean we have been forgotten.

Petronas has choose to invest RM4.5b in Sabah by building a fertiliser plant in Sipitang. Just imagine all the spill-out effect once the project completed. I expect that thousands of job opportunity will be created from this project & Sipitang will going to become a vibrant town.

Read the following articles for more info

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RM4.5b fertiliser plant to be built in Sabah town 

By JONISTON BANGKUAI
jon@nst.com.my

RM600 million worth of construction work earmarked for locals

KOTA KINABALU: From a sleepy hollow, Sipitang, 150km south from here, is set to be transformed into a vibrant township with the construction of a RM4.5 billion fertiliser plant by national oil company, Petronas.

It is expected to be completed in three years and the groundbreaking  for the mega project, dubbed Sabah Ammonia-Urea (Samur) complex, will be officiated by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak on Friday .

Petronas runs two other fertiliser plants,  Asean Bintulu Fertilizer Sdn Bhd in Sarawak and Petronas Fertilizer (Kedah) Sdn Bhd in Gurun, Kedah, but Samur will be the largest.

  The plant will almost double Petronas' fertiliser output in the country from 1.4 million tonnes annually to 2.6 million tonnes.

"The Samur project will not only transform Sipitang into a bustling and vibrant town, but  will also be a catalyst for economic development in the surrounding areas," said Petronas regional general manager for Sabah and Labuan Joseph Podtung.

  Citing Gurun, which used to be a quiet town before the construction of the fertiliser plant, he said the Samur project will generate tremendous economic spin-offs in terms of employment and business opportunities for the locals.

View Larger Map

   Located in the Sipitang oil and gas industrial park (Sogip), the Samur project is among Petronas' strategic developments supporting the oil and gas industry in Sabah.

  To be managed by Petronas Chemicals Fertiliser Sabah Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of Petronas Chemicals Group, the complex  will be powered by natural gas from Sabah's offshore wells.

  Speaking at a media luncheon here, Podtung said the  Samur complex  would be made up of an ammonia plant, a urea plant and a granulation plant, as well as integrated utility units and jetty facilities.

  The ammonia plant is capable of producing 2,100 tonnes a day of liquid ammonia, while the urea plant will produce 3,500  tonnes per day of granulated urea.

  The project will be undertaken by a consortium of companies comprising Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd of Japan, Indonesia's PT Rekayasa and Kuala Lumpur-based Apex Energy Sdn Bhd.

  The consortium has appointed state-owned Sabah Energy Corporation as its associate, a move that will lead to greater participation by Sabah companies in Samur.

  The appointment of Sabah Energy as an associate to the consortium will help secure  work for local contractors, with an estimated RM600 million worth of contracts to be given out to them.

  The work includes site preparation, landscaping, security services, civil works, manpower supply, temporary facilities, inland transportation and process buildings as well as the development of a jetty and bagging plant.

Read more: RM4.5b fertiliser plant to be built in Sabah town - General - New Straits Times http://www.nst.com.my/local/general/rm4-5b-fertiliser-plant-to-be-built-in-sabah-town-1.46782#ixzz1mR7NhNCz

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Sabah trade continue to grow, jumps to RM82.4b

Everyone can give their opinion base on their general view or maybe, perception. But the problem when giving opinion in a broad sense is, there are usually no facts or figure to back the opinion.

On the other hand, the articles below is full of facts & figure. The articles shows that Sabah trade continue to grow based on the comparison made between 2010 & 2011 figure.

Which want you want to believe? An empty opinion or facts & figure?

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Sabah trade jumps to RM82.4b

Datuk Raymond Tan Shu Kiah

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah's external trade saw a 15 per cent growth to RM82.4 billion in 2011 from RM71.5 billion recorded the previous year, following increases in both exports and imports.

"In 2011, total exports increased to RM49.6 billion from RM43.6 billion previously, while imports rose to RM32.8 billion from RM27.9 billion in 2010," State Industrial Deve-lopment Minister Datuk Raymond Tan Shu Kiah said when officia-ting a Small and Medium Enter-prises (SMEs) seminar here, yesterday.

Tan's speech was read out by his representative, Industrial Development and Research Department director Patrick Tan.

He said despite this, exporting has been made more challenging due to the weak demand in the US and the economic problems in Europe, coupled with intense competition from newly developing countries.

 

In view of that, Tan said, SMEs which are the backbone of the coun-try's economy, must be prepared for challenges ahead as Malaysia begins its transforma-tion towards a high-income economy.

"It is important for our SMEs to review their strategies, upgrade the skills of their workers, adopt new technology to produce higher quality products in less time and start exploring further into untapped or emerging markets," he added.

He said SMEs from Sabah who did well after being "adopted" by the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (Matrade) under one of its programmes, was because of their willingness to progress themselves.

"They proved to the government that they have the capabilities and abilities to improve and more importantly, their willingness to strive to a higher level.

"Success is not just waiting for government help alone," he reminded.

Meanwhile, Federation of Sabah Manufacturers (FSM) president Datuk Seri Wong Khen Thau reiterated FSM's idea that Sabah be transformed into a hub for the Far East as it commands the ideal geographical location for trade in this region.

He said the state government has been receptive to this proposal, which could help propel Sabah to be a business hub.

Read more: Sabah trade jumps to RM82.4b http://www1.btimes.com.my/Current_News/BTIMES/articles/14SHU/Article/#ixzz1mQlBIKpq

*Picture taken from freemalaysiatoday & Insight Sabah.

 

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Sabah's financial performance among the best in Malaysia - Musa

 
No one can deny this fact: Sabah's financial is well manage.

The World Bank may said that Sabah is one of the poorest states in Malaysia. It depends on which side you are looking at it. For me, Sabah is now on the right path to become one of the best states in Malaysia.

Read through the news articles below. Those who were skeptical with Sabah & its current government's ability to bring itself to another level, should start opening their eyes & see all the facts that they choose not to believe.

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Sabah Faring Better : CM

Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman

Kota Kinabalu: Sabah ministries and government agencies have shown improvements in their respective financial management practices ever since the Financial Management (Accountability Index) was implemented by the National Audit Department in 2007.

This is evidenced by the clean certificate (Sijil Bersih) given to the State Government for its excellent public accounts for the past 10 years between 2001 and 2010, said Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman.

"I am happy to note that at present, Sabah's financial performance has been recorded as among the best in Malaysia," he said at the Asean Supreme Audit Institutions (Asean-SAI) dinner at the Pacific Sutera.

He expressed strong belief that the establishment of Asean-SAI can help Sabah achieve a democratic, transparent and viable community by closing any violation of accepted ethics, thus helping Sabah move towards further development.

Congratulating Auditor General of Malaysia, Tan Sri Dato' Setia Ambrin Buang and all officials from the Supreme Audit Institutions of Asean member states for their excellent work, he said there was a time when Sabah's economy depended strongly on timber.

However, he said this is no longer the case today, as Sabah pushed for sustainable forest management practices that will safeguard its natural ecosystem services in perpetuity.

 Over the decades, he said Sabah slowly diversified its income base by venturing into new sources, such as oil palm and rubber.

"Along with the oil and gas sector, we are placing emphasis both through Federal and State initiatives to move into offering value added products and services from these sources," he said.

He said since Sabah is a major grower of oil palm in the region, the palm oil sector is one it is particularly focusing on.

On this, Musa said Sabah has established what is known as the Palm Oil Industrial Cluster (POIC) in the east coast districts of Lahad Datu and Sandakan.

He said POIC is continuing to draw investors, both from Malaysia and overseas.
Sabah, he said is also focusing on manufacturing, and another key area of the economy is tourism, in particular eco-tourism.

He noted that tourist arrivals in Sabah rose by 13.6 per cent to 2.84 million in 2011 compared to the previous year.

Since 2003, he said the State Development Agenda has been driven by agriculture, tourism and manufacturing and that Sabah is starting to see the fruits of this long term plan.

He said the world today is different, with society having changed.

Most governments are now expected to balance their regulatory and facilitative functions, he said.

"The public is now more conscious about their role as concerned stakeholders, and who know that as individuals, they can make a difference in the interest of the common good," he said.

Musa said the people are today also more knowledgeable, more responsive, more demanding and more willing to participate in the conduct of governments.

He said the public demands greater transparency and good governance, and this calls on the government to share with them how it is doing, including its financial management.

"A government that is responsive to demands of the people is a government that is more capable in overcoming challenges," he said.

Present were Chairman of Asean of Supreme Audit Institutions cum Chairman of Audit Board of the Republic of the Republic of Indonesia, Drs. Hadi Pornoermo and Auditor General of Brunei, Pengiran Abdul Rahman Pengiran Mat Salleh.

Read More: http://www.dailyexpress.com.my/news.cfm?NewsID=80636 
 

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Integrated Cooperation Vital To Improve Rural Economy - Sabah Cm

KOTA KINABALU, Feb 2 (Bernama) -- An integrated cooperation between relevant departments and agencies can intensify efforts to improve the economic status of the people in rural areas, and hence, create a high-income society.

Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman said the cooperation was vital to facilitate go-to-the-ground activities and identify those in need so that no one would be left out of the country's mainstream development.

"Sabah has always looking for the best suitable methods to help the people in the rural areas to improve their living standard.

"Having an integrated cooperation between all the departments and the agencies to identify the economic field that has great potential for growth is among the best methods so far," he told reporters after attending Sabah Foundation Group's briefing on Innovative and Excellent Village programme here today.

Meanwhile, Sabah Foundation Group director Tan Sri Datu Khalil Datu Jamalul said the agency was among the first to take the initiatives to develop the people in the rural areas since 1996.

Among the efforts taken were the construction of people's houses, bridges and jetties, distribution of boats and fishing equipment to fishermen, implementation of gravity water system and construction of educational facilities for the comfort of pupils in rural areas.

-- BERNAMA

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