Musa shaking hands with assistant ministers at the end of the State Assembly sitting yesterday.
KOTA KINABALU: Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman has reiterated that the State Government is always open to all suggestions and opinions that have been voiced out by the opposition and backbenchers in the just concluded State Assembly sitting.
Speaking to reporters after the assembly sitting yesterday, Musa said: “We are all serving the rakyat and our approach is to accept what is and will be good for the rakyat and implement whatever we can.
“During the proceedings, I have explained about the state’s policies in certain matters like land, oil and gas. This is our way, we are very open and straight forward. We do not try to hide anything. We have our own way and do not need to follow others. Our own way is more effective in getting what matters for the rakyat,” he said.
Meanwhile, when asked about the issue of villagers being exploited by certain quarters who want to acquire huge tracts of land in forest or government reserves, Musa said the relevant departments would be looking into the matter.
Action will be taken against those found doing so, he said, adding that the matter is happening in Keningau where villagers are being taken advantage of by certain quarters who get them to encroach into the reserves and cultivate tracts of land there.
“They have cultivated the land with crops and fruit trees but we know their capacity as to do so takes a lot of money. We know that there are individuals behind them encouraging them to do so (so they can apply for the land). We will look into this and action will take action against those found doing this.
“I will ask the Forestry Department and Land and Survey Department to do further investigation to prevent this from happening,” Musa said and stressed that the villagers who have lived in the area for a long time will be given priority to own the land.
“We will give priority to those who have genuinely resided in the area for a long time but we do not want outsiders to come in and try to acquire the land,” he said.