» »Unlabelled » DCM: Sabah committed to develop services sector industry ... Berita Sabah - News 2 Sabah

11:08:00

DCM: <b>Sabah</b> committed to develop services sector industry <b>...</b> Berita Sabah - News 2 Sabah

DCM: <b>Sabah</b> committed to develop services sector industry <b>...</b>

Posted: 18 Feb 2014 08:36 AM PST

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Deputy Chief Minister, Datuk Raymond Tan Shu Kiah, said the state government is committed to further develop its services sector as a main income generator.

He said the services sectors, especially the knowledge-intensive and business services, were increasingly recognised as supporting the manufacturing sector and acted as levers to boost economic growth and development.

Tan, who is also the state Industrial Development Minister, said the knowledge-intensive service providers today were no longer being perceived only as specialised knowledge carriers but also as connectors, technology transfer agents and problem-solvers.

"The government has been actively involved in the development of the services industry in the last four decades.

"The Sabah Economic Development Corp, which was set up in 1971, aims to assist the government stimulate industrial, commercial and socio-economic development of the state," he said.

Tan said this when officiating a seminar on 'Government Initiatives to Propel the Services Sector', organised by Malaysia Industrial Development Authority (Mida) and Sabab Industrial Development Ministry yesterday.

Tan said the state government's commitment in driving the services sector could also be seen in the implementation of the Sabah Corridor Blueprint where tourism and logistics industries had been identified as the economic drivers in Sabah.

Among the programmes, he said, were to address the basic and laying tourism foundations for future growth as well as putting in place the world-class tourism infrastructure and services, including nurturing vibrant arts and culture scenes.

"The other programmes were to strengthen Sabah's position as a premier eco-adventure destination through conservation, research and sustainable development of new tourism products anchored by signature resorts," he said.

Speaking to reporters later, Tan said the abundance of about 30 million tonnes of bio-mass in Sabah and the state's bio-diversity were other important economic potentials that needed to be developed. — Bernama

Print Friendly

<b>Sabah</b> eyeing to beat Selangor in attracting investment - The Borneo <b>...</b>

Posted: 17 Feb 2014 09:14 AM PST

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah is looking forward to beat Selangor in bringing investment to the country, Industrial Development Minister Datuk Raymond Tan Shu Kiah said.

He said at his ministry's Chinese New Year dinner on Saturday tha Sabah's consistent investment is an indication that the state is a potential and main destination for investors to put their money, to make money in the future.

"In 2012, Sabah ranked third in projects approved by the Malaysia Investment Development Authority (Mida), with a total domestic and foreign capital investment value of RM5,034 million, just behind Johor RM5,535 million and Selangor RM11,734 million. However, we beat Penang (RM2,471.5 million).

"In 2013, Sabah is at RM3,001.80 million while Penang is at RM2,652.40 million. We beat Penang for the past two years and I am looking forward to beat Selangor, since leaders from Penang and Selangor keeping telling the people that Sabah is a poor state," he said.

Tan who was the host for the event held at Le Meridien Hotel, also stressed that with the investment potential in Sabah, the federal government should be looking ahead and putting more money in Sabah to maximize the potential.

Quoting a recent report on national newspapers that Malaysia had been ranked one of the cheapest places in the world to purchase a Big Mac, Tan, who is also Deputy Chief Minister, said it was a very simple reason why investors should be paying more attention to investing in Malaysia.

"It was said that the Big Mac sold in Malaysia is half the price of the same burger sold in the US. If we go to San Francisco and order a Big Mac, the taste and size will be the same like what we have here in Kota Kinabalu. But the price is the cheapest here.

"We cannot simply change the recipe and ingredients because Big Mac has its own standard. We cannot change the salad inside into kangkung because Big Mac wants the same quality like what they have worldwide. This simply says investors are having huge opportunity to make money in Malaysia.

"However, since I am the minister in-charge of bringing investors to the state, I can assure that our investors can make money if we work together. At the same time, let me make money for the state as well," he added.

Print Friendly

&#39;Exemption of GST in <b>Sabah</b> &#39;non-negotiable&#39; - The Borneo Post Online

Posted: 10 Feb 2014 10:11 AM PST

KOTA KINABALU: The support for the introduction of Goods and Services Tax (GST) in Sabah needs to be 're-examined' by the Sabahan government leaders.

State Reform Party (Star) Sabah chief Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan made this call in response to Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman's statement that the government is supporting the implementation of GST in Sabah.

"The Sabah government leaders need to have their heads examined for wrongly supporting the implementation of GST in Sabah without considering the rights of Sabah and the welfare of Sabahans," he said according to a press statement released yesterday.

"The best formula for Sabah and Sabahans is still the exemption of GST in Sabah. By right, this should be the only and 'non-negotiable' option to be adopted by the Sabah government if they are genuinely looking after the interests of Sabah and Sabahans," said Jeffrey, who is also Bingkor assemblyman.

Jeffrey pointed out that it was agreed during the formation of Malaysia in 1963 that Sabah will have control of its own finances, tariffs and development funds.

"Point No 11 of the 20-Point Agreement states that North Borneo (Sabah) should have control of its own finance, development funds and tariffs.

"The sovereign right to impose sales tax was subsequently incorporated in Article 95B (3) of the Federal Constitution, and it is deemed to be a matter under the State List under the 9th Schedule and not under the Federal List," Jeffrey said.

Article 95B(3) of the Federal Constitution states: "The Legislature of the State of Sabah or Sarawak may also make laws for imposing sales tax, and any sales tax imposed by State law in the State of Sabah and Sarawak shall be deemed to be among the matters enumerated in the State List and not in the Federal List; but (a) There shall not in the charging or administration of a State sales tax be discrimination between the goods of the same description according to the place in which they originate; and (b) The charge for any federal sales tax shall be met out of sums collected from a person liable for that tax before the charge for a State sales tax.

"There are no two ways about it. Sabah government needs to work towards a plan to secure exemption of GST in Sabah.

"Sabahans are already the poorest in Malaysia. The Sabah government needs to take every action to safeguard the interests of Sabahans, who are not ready for GST, and Sabah has the sovereign right to collect sales tax in Sabah and should not abrogate or sub-contract this right.

"As it is, Sabahans are losing more than RM40 billion in revenue annually to the federal government and Petronas," Jeffrey said, adding that if the federal government still wished to impose GST in Sabah then there would be no option but to take the federal government to court and declare GST as unconstitutional.

Print Friendly

<b>Sabah</b> MCA wants cabinet posts for party - The Borneo Post Online

Posted: 12 Feb 2014 09:43 AM PST

TAWAU: Sabah MCA chairman Wilfred Yong has urged the Barisan Nasional (BN) and the Prime Minister to let the party serve in the cabinet and maintain the previous quota of four ministerial posts.

Wilfred said MCA is one of the BN component parties of BN and it would not be able to serve the people well without any cabinet posts.

"The party (MCA) will have limited power and right in doing something that is demanded by the people," he said at a Chinese New Year dinner celebration organized by MCA Kalabakan, Tawau and Semporna here on Tuesday night.

"I also hope the MCA members could provide 100 per cent support to the party for the cabinet posts," Wilfred added.

MCA is expected to call for an extraordinary general meeting (EGM) soon to review the party's resolution to decline Cabinet appointments.

President Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai expressed hope that more MCA delegates would agree for an EGM to be called so a vote could be taken on the resolution.

In the party's annual general meeting in 2011 and 2012, MCA made a resolution not to accept any government post should it perform badly in the 2013 general election.

The party only won seven parliamentary and 11 state seats in last year's election, compared to 15 parliamentary and 32 state seats it won in 2008.

At the Oct 20 EGM last year, delegates rejected a motion to rescind the decision but supported two motions, allowing for the party to accept appointments like Senators or other government positions, as well as appointments at the state level, including state executive councillors.

According to the party constitution, an EGM can be called by either the president, or upon receiving support from two-thirds of the central committee members or receiving support from two-thirds of the central delegates.

The earliest it can be held is in seven days after requisition is received by the secretary-general.

Print Friendly

Works Minister reminded to allocate funds for <b>Sabah</b>, Sarawak <b>...</b>

Posted: 06 Feb 2014 04:14 PM PST

KOTA KINABALU: STAR Sabah chief Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan has questioned the lack of allocations for the repair of roads and slopes in Sabah and Sarawak that were damaged by floods.

"The federal Works Minister and Public Works Department should be commended for speedily inspecting, finalizing and approving the estimated costs of repairs of recent flood damaged roads and slopes in Terengganu, Pahang and Johor of RM56.9 million but there is no mention of any allocations for Sabah and Sarawak," he said.

Jeffrey said the people of Sabah and Sarawak would have expected that with the Works Minister from Sarawak, more priority would have been given to the two states.

"Even without the damage from the recent floods, Sabah has been crying out for the RM920 million needed since 2009 for 647 road slopes failures, and as of September 2013, RM2 billion backlog for road repairs and another RM700 million for repairs and upgrading of 62 bridges.

"Now that road damage and landslides caused by the recent floods cutting off traffic in Sabah and Sarawak are in the news again, one would have expected a different and more positive response from the federal government," he said in a statement yesterday.

"Perhaps, it is time for the federal Works Minister to review the needs of the Borneo states and allocate the necessary federal funds for Sabah and Sarawak. There can be no excuse for not allocating these funds since they have been readily and speedily approved for Terengganu, Pahang and Johor within a month," he added.

Print Friendly