Siringan (centre) briefed by a representative of one of the participating employers during his booth-to-booth tour.
RANAU: United Pasokmomogum Kadazadusun Murut Organisation (UPKO) acting deputy president Datuk Siringan Gubat said it would be good for Sabah and its people if the proposed creation of 13 new state seats becomes a reality, considering neighbouring Sarawak already had its state constituencies increased by 11 to 82 during its recent state election.
He said the increase in Sabah state seats, which would see the state constituencies increased to 73, was important not only for the continuous progress of the State and its people but also so that Sabah and Sarawak would continue to progress together.
“I hope Sabah will get the 13 additional new state seats as proposed, and the Election Commission (EC), which will work on where these new state seats will be created if they are already endorsed, is able to have them (new seats) distributed fairly throughout the State,” he said.
“I also hope that the priority (for where these new state seats should be created) will be those areas that still in need of more development and progress,” he told reporters after officiating at the Ranau District-level Job Carnival, organised by the Labour Department in conjunction with its Program Kembara Kerjaya (Career Expedition Programme) at the district community hall here yesterday.
Siringan, who is Minister of Resource Development and Information Technology, was asked to comment on recent news reports quoting Sabah Deputy Speaker Datuk Johnny Mositun as saying that a bill to create an additional 13 state seats would be tabled in the State Legislative Assembly sitting scheduled for next week.
Mositun had also said that once the bill had been approved by the State Legislative Assembly, it would then be up to the Election Commission (EC) to draw out the new seats based on the needs of the state.
Siringan, who is also Paginatan assemblyman, had also previously called for the creation of additional two new state seats and one parliamentary seat in Ranau, which presently has one parliamentary seat named Ranau and three state seats, namely Karanaan, Kundasang and Paginatan.
To another question, Siringan said his ministry had not received any official complaints from employers in the State over the new Minimum Wage Policy, since its execution on July 1.
“I believe the employers in Sabah have accepted the new policy, which is set at RM920 for Sabah and Sarawak and RM1,000 in the peninsula. The Minimum Wage Policy is actually good and its execution is for the benefit of our state, nation and all the people,” he said.
“So far my ministry also has not received any report of non-compliance by employers in Sabah. The Labour Department can take action against those employers who failed to abide by the new Minimum Wage Policy.
The day-long Job Carnival was participated by 26 employers, offering 1,620 jobs throughout the State and in the peninsula.
Appreciating all the employers who took part in the carnival, Siringan said it had helped many job seekers in Ranau and the surrounding districts since it was launched last year.