Strong Sabah-Federal ties ensure consistent, continued progress – CM

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KOTA KINABALU: The strong relationship Sabah shares with the Federal Government is one of the reasons why there is consistent and continued progress in the state, Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman said.

Sabah, he added, is fully committed to ealizing Federal Government led plans and policies such as the Government Transformation Programme 2.0, Economic Transformation Programme and the National Key Result Areas are successfully carried out, for the benefit of the people.

Musa in his Malaysia Day message pointed out that the Malaysian Government is one that truly cares for the people.

The introduction of the Bantuan Rakyat 1Malaysia, Kedai Rakyat 1Malaysia, 1Malaysia Clinics, and a host of other people centric initiatives is testimony that the Government has the best interests of the people at heart.

Efforts, he said, are constantly made to ease the burden of those from the lower income group, and to reduce poverty.

“Just this week, the National Education Blueprint that runs up to 2025 was unveiled, and will help reform and transform the education sector. These are all efforts that are initiated based on feedback and research, and intend to serve all Malaysians,” he added.

In the state, according to Musa, projects under the Sabah Development Corridor (SDC) and initiatives under the State Development Agenda or Halatuju, are all on track in meeting their objectives.

“Locally, we are pushing for more spin-offs from the palm oil, and oil and gas downstream sectors. These sectors are spurring new economic spin-offs, quality jobs and business opportunities. We must push for capacity building and local participation in these sectors.

“As such, I encourage school leavers and youths to take up knowledge and skills training courses at the various institutes of higher education in the State, which are now not only limited to Kota Kinabalu. The education hub in Sandakan and skills training facilities in places like Kimanis are efforts the Government has taken in making education more accessible,” he stressed.

Musa also said that in achieving progress and development for Sabah, the government is always mindful of the need to sustainably develop the state.

Sabah, he pointed out, can hold its head high in environmental and forest conservation, having taken strong measures to protect our natural resources, despite the push for development.

“It is disheartening that there have been some false reports in blogs about large scale illegal logging in Sabah. Such baseless allegations are perhaps aimed at derailing our efforts in Sustainable Forest Management for which we have taken great effort and which have received kudos and certification from international bodies. We also continue to protect our coastlines, marine resources and other ecosystems,” he said.

“Today marks an important day in history, the creation of Malaysia 49 years ago. The formation of this nation brought together regions separated by sea, and almost five decades on, Malaysia continues to thrive and remains a resilient country.

“Let us all take stock of our achievements and strive to do even better in bringing progress for Malaysia in the years to come. Collectively, and by working together, Malaysians are capable of great things, and I am sure we will see our citizens charting more success stories in future,” Musa said.

Malaysia, he said, has transformed greatly in many aspects ranging from economic diversity to improvements in healthcare and education and an overall enhanced standard of living.

The Government, he added, is committed to making socioeconomic development accessible to the people throughout the country through carefully planned policies, projects and programmes.

“This is our commitment to every Malaysian regardless of race, religion and cultural background. I therefore urge all Malaysians in Sabah to contribute towards our nation building, the progress of Sabah and the overall success of Malaysia.

“While we take pride in the beauty and diversity of Sabah, we must not forget that we are part of a nation. Every state should support one another in bringing collective progress to the country. Being ethnocentric or insular in our thinking will limit us greatly.

“As citizens of this beloved country, we must think and do as Malaysians while still upholding our respective beliefs, cultures and backgrounds. One need not compromise the other. We must accept that each individual is different, and that every ethnic group has its  own traditions and customs, many of which are age old.

“We must embrace the strength that our cultural diversity offers to the nation.” Musa said, adding that the State Government is committed to ensuring peace and racial harmony are safeguarded as the bigger task at hand is to see and create a successful nation, and one that all Malaysians can be proud of.

“I wish to urge everyone to be more accepting of one another, to respect each other and to make an effort to understand the different cultural practices each community brings. Indeed, there is no room here for those who want to stir racial sentiments. On that note, I am glad that the true essence of 1Malaysia is practised among Malaysians in Sabah,” he said.

Musa also reminded leaders in Sabah to continue working hard for the people, and to refrain from politicking which takes away precious time from work.

“We remain strong under the Barisan Nasional banner, and we boast of a stable State Government that is attractive to investors. We must not allow the opposition and those with vested interests to threaten the political strength that we enjoy today.

“As we celebrate 49 years of the formation of Malaysia, I wish to see Sabah becoming a developed and prosperous State. Above all, I would like to see the people living in peace, showing concern and respect for each other, regardless of their status or differences.

“As Malaysians, we have a vital role to play in helping to achieve the nation’s aspirations and vision. On that note, I wish all Malaysians a very happy Malaysia Day 2012,” he said.