SANDAKAN – The Sabah government has decided to maintain the ban on log export, said Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Mohd Noor.
However, the state government will conduct a thorough study on the need to lift the ban in the future, he added.
“Priority will be given to ensure we have sufficient resources (logs) for factories in the state.
“I did not say that it (lifting the ban) will not happen in the future. When we see a need for Sabah’s round logs to be exported, it will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
“For now, we are maintaining the ban.”
Hajiji was responding to The Vibes on Gabungan Rakyat Sabah’s decision on whether to lift the ban on log export imposed by the previous Warisan state government since May 2018.
He said this when met after a working visit at Sandakan central market today.
Hajiji said the state government has allocated RM1.26 million to repair and upgrade the central market here, which he launched in 2007 as then state local government and housing minister.
The repair and upgrading work will be overseen by Sandakan Municipal Council, he added.
He also announced a RM1.4 million allocation to upgrade the Duchess of Kent Hospital car park, and RM1.6 million to Kg Sim-Sim for the same purpose.
In a separate matter, the minister said the decision to disallow Ramadan bazaars in the state is made based on the government’s priority to protect the people from the spread of Covid-19. – The Vibes, April 8, 2021