KOTA KINABALU: The Minister of Special Tasks, Datuk Teo Chee Kang, expressed his confidence in the progress of the Sabah Development Corridor (SDC) in its preparation for the SDC future strategy in conjunction with the upcoming Eleventh Malaysia Plan (11MP).
Teo mentioned this after a briefing in the State Economic Planning Unit (SEPU) office at Wisma SEDIA here yesterday.
Sabah Economic Development and Investment Authority (SEDIA) said in a statement yesterday that the
briefing was presented by SEDIA vice president Dr Chong Vun Leong following a lab on the preparation for the 11MP. The briefing had covered the list of proposed SDC projects under the upcoming economic development plan for Malaysia, along with the SDC strategy paper outlining the focus for the SDC programme and its implementing agency SEDIA starting next year onwards.
Alongside the continued drive of key focus areas within the SDC, SEDIA will accord greater emphasis on enhancing the state’s global connectivity during the Eleventh Malaysia Plan to ensure seamless movement of people, goods and services. This emphasis is timely as Sabah transforms into a diversified and knowledge-intensive state with higher value-added economy.
Efforts will be directed especially to the efficiency of the logistics sector by improving the relevant infrastructure and enhancing the integration of land, sea, and air services. Importance will also be given to the improvement of broadband internet services, as global economic competitiveness is increasingly determined by efficiency of services as well as an adaptable and talented workforce.
Human capital development will also be accorded stronger emphasis, which will result in Sabah having a ready talented workforce. A knowledgeable workforce will be crucial in further expanding the pace of downstream activities in major industries, said SEDIA.
The process of the 11MP preparations was initiated on October 29, 2013 by the Chief Secretary to the Federal Government, and is planned be tabled in Parliament in June 2015.
Economic development of the nation has been steered by these development plans, which have sought to identify the possible challenges during these five-year periods and provide short- and medium-term policy and strategy solutions.