KENINGAU: The Barisan Nasional (BN) has brought a giant leap in the development of Sabah’s interior areas – the Kadazandusun heartland, said Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS) president Tan Sri Joseph Kurup.
He said various government transformation programmes had been introduced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak in transforming interior areas, including providing infrastructure
such as upgrading Jalan Pensiangan.
“Pensiangan has been allocated hundreds of millions of ringgit for the implementation of a clean water supply project for the benefit of about 41,500 residents of 90 villages,” he said in his presidential address at the 15th PBRS delegates meeting here yesterday.
It was opened by Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin at the Keningau Community Hall.
Kurup, who is also deputy natural resources and environment minister, said the Pegalungan sub-district, which was accessible through a river and a logging tract, caught the government’s attention as attested with the implementation of a RM56 million water supply project.
He said the BN government was also concerned with the health condition of people in interior areas by building a hospital in Nabawan town.
Kurup also expressed his gratitude to Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman for resolving land problems, including granting communal ownership rights involving a forest reserve for those who qualify.
He also thanked the federal government for approving RM25 million for land measurement to be conducted for the purpose.
On politics, he said PBRS would continue to prove its loyalty to the BN to ensure the coalition’s victory in the next general election.
“Some people may say that PBRS a minnow party. Even though some may say that PBRS is not formidable, we can bite. Perhaps our bite is venomous as proven in 1995 when the party played a decisive role in helping the BN to form the state government,” he said.
Later, accompanied by Musa and Kurup, Muhyiddin attended the Christmas and new year’s eve celebrations at the hall.— Bernama