LABUAN: Labuan Corporation will continue utilising the Labuan Development Blueprint 2030 to further drive the island’s economic growth, in tandem with national development, said its newly-minted chief executive officer Dr Fary Akmal Osman.
The blueprint according to her would be tailored to the island’s current development needs and based on a sound understanding of the government’s financial situation.
“I don’t think we should come up with the new development plan which is time-consuming,” she said at her maiden press conference here yesterday.
The blueprint which was launched January last year, sets the direction for the holistic development of the duty-free island, focussing on three major areas of economic, social and physical development.
“We are looking at realising the plans in the blueprints that envisions in transforming Labuan into a smart and sustainable island city,” she said.
“Labuan has vast potential which had not been fully explored such as in the field of education and tourism…efforts are in the pipeline to have the Petronas training centre be established here and higher learning institutions branch campus.”
Labuan said Dr Fary, is embracing a more sustainable tourism sector by constructing various tourism infrastructures and facilities to add value to the lucrative sector.
She also stressed that human capital development must not be sidelined and will be enhancing its tourism-related programmes to train more tour operators and guides.
On the proposed bridge linking Labuan to Sabah, she said the matter will be further discussed by a special committee comprising high-ranking officials of the Ministry of Federal Territories, Labuan Corporation and the Sabah state government.
“FT Ministry’s Secretary-General has met the Chief Minister of Sabah Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal over the proposed bridge and the latter was positive to the proposal and that to be further discussed within the committee members,” added Dr Fary. — Bernama