Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Hajiji Noor delivers a speech at the state-level International Anti-Corruption Day in Kota Kinabalu, December 9, 2021. — Bernama pic
KOTA KINABALU, April 4 — The Sabah Economic Development and Investment Authority (Sedia) has been instructed to continue with the construction of the Customs, Immigration, Quarantine and Security (CIQS) Complex in Serudong, Kalabakan and Bantul, Pagalongan.
Chief Minister Datuk Hajii Noor said Sedia, which is the state authority for border town development, needed to proceed with the project as it was one of the major development projects for Sabah.
The Sedia chairman also said that the development cost of the CIQS Complex in Kalabakan is estimated at RM815 million and of that amount, RM600 million is for the construction of a 39-kilometre road, while RM215 million is for the CIQS centre.
“As for the CIQS project in Pagalongan, including road construction, it will cost RM509.4 million,” he said in a statement after chairing the Sedia board of directors meeting at Menara Kinabalu here today.
On March 23, Senior Works Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof, in a written reply to Ma’mun Sulaiman (Warisan-Kalabakan) in Parliament, said that the construction of the Kalabakan CIQS Complex was delayed due to the lack of allocation by the Finance Ministry.
Hajiji, who is also the state Finance Minister, said the Economic Planning Unit (EPU) under the Prime Minister’s Department had informed that it had no objection to the project but advised Sedia to pursue the matter with the relevant ministries.
He said that under the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP), a total of RM187.5 million had been allocated to Sedia to carry out seven projects and as of February this year, the state body had received RM74.25 million.
Among the mega projects under the 12MP is the proposed Sabah Development Corridor (SDC) Action Plan for the expansion of the Sapangar Bay Container Port, which is also the first project in Sabah that implements the Industrial Collaboration Programme (ICP).
“I am pleased to announce that the ICP credit value for the proposed expansion of the Sapangar Bay Container Port has so far reached RM493 million or 54.8 per cent covering nine projects,” he said.
Hajiji said Sedia would implement 30 initiatives under SDC 2030 as a catalyst for balanced economic growth throughout Sabah, including addressing the impact of the pandemic.
Meanwhile, Hajiji said a total of RM58.8 million had been distributed to 41 state constituencies and 11 parliamentary constituencies in Sabah for the upgrading of public infrastructure and poverty eradication within the Sedia areas through small, high impact and people-centric projects. — Bernama