SANDAKAN – After six months in power, Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor will make his first official visit to Sandakan tomorrow making a stop at the forestry centre of Sabah.
At the top of the agenda is its forestry policy and whether he will reverse certain initiatives made for the east coast district during the reign of the past Warisan-Plus government.
During his visit, Hajiji may address the plight of over 200 fire victims of Kg Gas Batu Sapi who have been living in container houses for three years, as well as the Sandakan Integrated Bus Terminal which has yet to operate after its construction was completed in 2018.
The Sulaman assemblyman is also expected to attend the state’s International Day of Forests at the Forestry Department’s headquarters here tomorrow at 10am, where he is expected to have a brief chat with the media
Hajiji may rejig the state’s timber policy, as his predecessor Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal had banned log exports from Sabah in May 2018 so that timber resources could remain in the state for the manufacturing industry to thrive.
In December 2018, Shafie said Sandakan’s development will be focused on the timber industry, and turn the Sandakan Palm Oil Industry Cluster into a furniture manufacturing hub.
Hajiji may also want to revisit the Sandakan airport runway extension project in January 2018, which was also launched by Shafie and has also yet to see any progress. – The Vibes, April 7, 2021
