Hajiji (fifth left) receiving the replica cheque from Bacho.
KOTA KINABALU: Sawit Kinabalu Group has presented dividend payments and a Covid-19 donation totaling RM20 million to the State Government.
Of that amount, RM10 million is for the interim payment of dividends for the first and second quarters of 2021 while another RM10 million is for the Covid-19 Fund.
Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor received a replica of the check from Sawit Kinabalu Group Managing Director Bacho Jansie at the Sabah State Administrative Centre on Thursday.
Hajiji, who is also the chairman of Sawit Kinabalu Group, said the Group had performed well despite the challenges brought upon by the Covid-19 pandemic.
“This dividend payment clearly proves that the government-linked companies (GLCs) have fulfilled the aspirations of the State Government – which is to be efficient and profitable.
“The government will always support the palm oil industry as one of the economic sectors because it is in line with the Sabah Maju Jaya Roadmap (SMJ), which emphasises agriculture as one of the three main sectors of economic growth in the state, apart from industry and tourism,” he said.
“This is also a clear indication of how the government takes the state’s economic development seriously to bring prosperity to all the people,” added Hajiji.
The Sawit Kinabalu Group, which is an investment machinery of the State government, has paid a total dividend of RM1.2 billion to the State Government since its inception 25 years ago.
Separately, Bacho said that the palm oil industry had still managed to contribute to the economy despite the pandemic challenges and natural disasters such as flood.
Bacho disclosed that the group had spent more than RM6 million on its entire workforce in Covid-19 cost expenditure, including the payment of incentives to farm and factory workers during the implementation of the Movement Control Order (MCO).
Also present were Kinabalu Sawit Group Deputy Chairman Datuk Rubin Balang and members of the Board of Directors, including Datuk KY Mustafa and Khairul Firdaus Akbar Khan.