TAWAU – Sabah is planning to expand its seaweed cultivation area at Burst-Point near Sebatik island waters, here.
Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor said the state government has agreed in principle for the expansion of the Aquaculture Industrial Zone, where a larger area will be set aside for seaweed cultivation at Burst-Point, fronting Nunukan, Indonesia.
Hajiji believed the move would help to improve the livelihood of the people here.
Tawau is the state’s second-largest producer of seaweed after Semporna, with Burst-Point providing a suitable environment for high-grade seaweed cultivation.
Burst-Point currently has some 1,214 ha allocated for seaweed cultivation spread between 57 local entrepreneurs.
A total of 314t of seaweed amassing gross sales of RM2.4 million have been harvested during the first six months of this year.
The chief minister said this after leading a delegation – comprising state secretary Datuk Seri Safar Untong, state attorney-general Datuk Nor Asiah Mohd Yusof, Sabah Internal Affairs and Research secretary Datuk Awang Shahminan Awang Sahari and state lands and surveys director Datuk Bernard Liew – to the Malaysia-Indonesia maritime border near here today.
Accompanying him were the Commander of the Eastern Sabah Security Command, Hamzah Ahmad, Sabah National Security Council director, Noor Alam Khan Abdul Wahid Khan and state police deputy commissioner Datuk Jauteh Dikun.
Hajiji also visited the General Operations Force security outposts at Burst-Point, Wallace Bay and Sungai Melayu where he was briefed on security issues at the Malaysia-Indonesia border. – The Vibes, September 6, 2022.
