Hajiji urges former SFI workers to seek alternatives, independence

KOTA KINABALU – Former workers of the bankrupt Sabah Forestry Industries (SFI) need to start fending for themselves as the government has come to their rescue many times, said Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Mohd Noor. 

He said the state has spent millions of ringgit to solve their difficulties, from paying up their unpaid bills to resolving their water issues. 

“The company should be responsible for the workers. We asked the workers to find other alternatives until the SFI land is developed. The area will be developed, but until now it has not started. 

“It is possible that the new company will hire them again. We are truly concerned about them, but we can’t be settling their dues all the time. They have to find other ways. Still, the government will do what it can to help them,” said Hajiji during his motion of thanks at the Sabah legislative assembly yesterday. 

Hajiji said this after Azhar Matussin (Darau-Warisan) pointed out that a new notice to vacate a portion of the former paper mill estate land has been put on display. 

It is understood that around 500 people of the over 2,000 people still staying inside the SFI quarters would be affected by the eviction. 

The former workers also received an eviction notice in September last year, but the state Land and Survey Department responded that it was not an eviction and that the state has allowed them to continue to stay inside the estate. 

The workers also experienced power cuts after the receiver company did not settle their electricity bills, which had run up to hundreds of thousands of ringgit. 

A portion of the bill was later settled by the Sabah government. 

Hajiji also noted that the state government had decided to award the land to the company owned by Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar Al-Bukhary after it came into power in 2020, and had given him two years to start operations.

Hajiji also said the agreement would be cancelled if he failed to start operations within the stipulated time. 

The Sulaman assemblyman said this after listening to opposition leader Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal say that a Chinese firm has expressed interest in investing in the former pulp mill. 

Meanwhile, Hajiji said the state government would convey the suggestion to the operator of the popular Tg Aru Beach, Tg Aru Eco Development, to lift all the restrictions it has imposed on visitors. 

He said the state government has not decided on a plan to develop the beachfront yet, and rightfully, the company should not be imposing restrictions on visitors to the former public beach. 

The state has awarded the popular weekend spot to the company to develop the beachfront, which has now been scaled down due to opposition from various groups. – The Vibes, May 25, 2023