CHAIRING
.....Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Musa Aman, chairing the 13th
meeting of the Sabah Economic Development and Investment Authority (SEDIA)
recently. Also seen here is Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan Deputy Chief
Minister, Datuk Peter Pang En Yin Deputy Chairman (2) SEDIA, Tan Sri Sukarti
Wakiman, State Secretary, Datuk Pg Hassanel Pg Mohd Tahir, Permanent Secretary
Ministry of Finance, Datuk Ismail Abdullah Director of the Economic Planning
Unit of Sabah and Datuk Dr. Mohd Yaakub Johari, CEO / President SEDIA
THE SABAH Development
Corridor (SDC) is now progressing to its second phase; and Sabah Economic
Development and Investment Authority (SEDIA) has escalated its effort to
attract more investments both locally as well as by taking part in
MITI/MIDA-led investment and trade missions abroad.
Speaking about SEDIA’s
aggressive move to attract investments the Chief Minister said that the
response has been very encouraging and has resulted in substantial investment
in all the sectors promoted under the SDC, especially in tourism, agriculture
and manufacturing, the three pillars of Musa’s Halatuju agenda.
“To further spur investment
in the SDC, the Federal Ministry of Finance has approved a tax incentive
package to encourage investors in the tourism, manufacturing, agriculture
sectors, which cover oil palm, oil and gas as well as human resource and
education. The tax incentive package is open for applications until 31st
December, 2020,” he said.
Musa who is also the
Chairman of SEDIA said that within the second phase, SEDIA will work closely
with Unit Peneraju Agenda Bumiputera (TERAJU) to boost participation of
Bumiputera entrepreneurs, and a secretariat has been set up at the SEDIA office
to facilitate Teraju’s operation.
“A total of RM100 million
has been allocated by TERAJU for Bumiputera entrepreneurs in Sabah,” he said,
adding that SEDIA has also entered into a memorandum of understanding with SME
Bank with the aim of assisting SMEs involved in economic activities within SDC,
creating access to much needed funding.
In an effort to help local
entrepreneurs, SEDIA has organised courses at the Sabah Agro-Industrial
Precinct to encourage agro-businesses under the 1AgroSAIP programme. In this programme,
participants are given an introduction to various business opportunities in the
sector, including pharma-herbs, bird nest rearing and processing, agro-organic
and agro-food industries, and bio-science and biotechnology.
“I believe these initiatives
will ensure that all SMEs including Bumiputera entrepreneurs will be able to
enjoy the benefits of development in Sabah and no one will be left behind,” he
said.
He also disclosed that SEDIA
has taken measures to address the human capital requirements of investors and
one of the programmes introduced with cooperation from PEMANDU is the National
Talent Enhancement Programme (NTEP) whose aim it is to provide job placement
for degree and diploma holders in engineering.
To date, there are
21companies participating in this programme.
“The close partnerships with
stakeholder agencies have enabled SEDIA to facilitate investment into SDC and
develop local entrepreneurial skills.
“It is clear that SEDIA has
established a close link with all stakeholders and this valuable engagement
benefits all parties,” he said.
The Chief Minister stressed
that the factors that would ensure sustained investment interest in Sabah are
political stability, sound economic fundamentals, good infrastructure and an
adequate pool of human resource.
In the matter of security
Musa said the setting up of the Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESSCOM) and the
Eastern Sabah Security Zone (ESSZONE) is proof of the government’s
determination to safeguard Sabah’s peace and security. SEDIA is entrusted by
the State and Federal Government to be the one-stop authority to deal with all
aspects of the SDC, with the primary responsibility to plan, coordinate,
promote and accelerate its development.
One of the most dramatic
effects of the SDC is the reduction of poverty in Sabah. Since the launch of
SDC in 2008, the poverty rate in Sabah has gone down from 19.7% in 2009 to 8.1%
in 2012. In terms of investment performance, the Malaysian Investment
Development Authority (MIDA) announced in February 2013 that the SDC recorded
RM5 billion in investments in the manufacturing sector, the highest among the
five corridors in Malaysia for the year 2012.
SEDIA has received a total
of RM1.506 billion from allocations under the Ninth Malaysia Plan (9MP) and
Tenth Malaysia Plan (10MP) projects. (Insight
Sabah)
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak shared today his vision for an open and free economy as he courted foreign and local investors soon after securing his second term in a hotly-contested general election.
ReplyDeletePutting the Economic Transformation Programme (ETP) at the centre of his pledges, Najib explained that his ambition for the second term is to build a sustainable economy by stimulating more foreign investment and boosting domestic demand.
“The ETP has a definite vision of the kind of economy it is intended to create,” said Najib in his keynote address at Invest Malaysia 2013 here.
“We want to revise costly and inefficient subsidies. And we want to reduce the state’s role in private enterprise, to avoid warping markets.”
Najib also spoke of a liberalised services sector, and the divestment of government-run companies to slim down the state and open up space for private investment.
The prime minister however conceded that he is faced with a hard choice to draw down subsidies, as the government moves away from “broad brushes” initiatives in favour of direct financial assistance.
“In the medium term, we must make our affirmative action programmes more market friendly and meritocratic,” he said.
The federal government spent RM42 billion on subsidies last year, and it plans to cut it down by at least RM4 billion this year.
ReplyDeleteIn the run up to the polls, BN had promised that it would increase the government’s 1 Malaysia People’s Aid (BR1M) cash handouts from RM500 gradually to RM1,200 for those earning less than RM3,000 a month.
Meanwhile, Putrajaya is expecting to narrow Malaysia’s fiscal deficit to four per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) by this year, and three per cent by 2015.
The ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition’s pre-polls pledges have been criticised by Pakatan Rakyat (PR), and Najib took a dig at the opposition today, reiterating that the Kuala Lumpur Composite Index (KLCI) surged by more than 100 points after BN won Election 2013.
“I wonder if that is any indication that the markets prefer our economic agenda over the opposition’s. It was tempting to see the rally as an endorsement of the path we have chosen for Malaysia,” Najib said.
A report by financial wire Bloomberg last month stated that a BN victory in the May 5 polls has driven Malaysian bonds to outperform its Southeast Asian peers in May.
In May, Malaysian government securities gained 0.3 per cent on average compared to Philippine bonds which fell 0.8 per cent while Thai paid zero returns. Local currency notes in Singapore and Indonesia dropped 2.4 per cent, HSBC Holdings Plc indexes reported.
This is vital for growth
ReplyDeleteSemua pegawai penyiasat di balai polis di daerah ini diminta mempertingkatkan kemahiran serta mengaplikasi ilmu sedia ada dalam menjalankan siasatan terhadap semua kes jenayah.
ReplyDeleteGood luck for the 2nd phase.
ReplyDeletePastikan projek dijalankan mengikut perancangan.
DeleteThis is something awaited for so long
ReplyDeleteThere have been some concerns that SEDIA had been deliberately excluding certain community in the award of SDC projects. I wish to emphasize that SEDIA subscribes to the principles of good governance and has been very professional and transparent in the performance of its duties, including in the award of all SDC projects.
ReplyDeleteall SDC projects are funded by the Federal Government under the development expenditure.
ReplyDeletePeruntukan yang mencukupi harus disalurkan untuk memastikan kelancaran projek tersebut.
DeleteThe awards of these projects are therefore subjected to stringent rules and procedures as stipulated in the Treasury Instructions laid out by the Federal Government.
ReplyDeleteAll SDC projects had been awarded through an open tender process.
ReplyDeleteKontraktor yang dipilih harus memastikan projek mencapai kejayaan.
DeleteInvitation to bid had been published in major local newspapers detailing specific requirements. The tender bidders were then subjected to a series of technical and financial evaluations by the various committees comprising members drawn from related government agencies.
ReplyDeleteOnly qualified bidders were shortlisted for the deliberation of SEDIA Tender Boards.
ReplyDeleteSemoga tiada penyelewengan.
Delete“I believe these initiatives will ensure that all SMEs including Bumiputera entrepreneurs will be able to enjoy the benefits of development in Sabah and no one will be left behind,” he said.
ReplyDeleteKerajaan sentiasa memberi bantuan. Dengan bantuan tersebut, sudah pasti ekonomi di Sabah akan melambung tinggi.
Lembaga Pembangunan Ekonomi dan Pelaburan Sabah (SEDIA), agensi sehenti
ReplyDeleteuntuk memacu Koridor Pembangunan Sabah, akan berusaha secara
habis-habisan untuk menarik pelaburan bagi merancakkan lagi pembangunan
fasa kedua SDC.
Ketua Menteri, Datuk Seri Musa Aman berkata sehubungan dengan itu, SEDIA
ReplyDeletetelah menyertai dalam pelaburan dan misi perdagangan yang ditaja oleh
negeri dan Kementerian Perdagangan Antarabangsa dan Industri/Lembaga
Pembangunan Pelaburan Malaysia (MIDA) di dalam dan luar negara.
Sambutan daripada misi-misi ini amat menggalakkan, berjaya mendorong
Deletelebih banyak kepentingan dan menarik pelaburan yang signifikan dalam
sektor-sektor yang dipromosikan di bawah SDC dan yang digariskan di
bawah Halatuju Agenda -- pelancongan, pertanian dan pembuatan," kata
beliau dalam ucapan pembukaan di mesyuarat yang ke-13 ahli lembaga itu
di sini Isnin.
Musa, yang juga merupakan pengerusi SEDIA berkata agensi itu akan turut
ReplyDeletemempromosikan secara aktif perusahaan kecil dan sederhana, terutamanya
usahawan Bumiputera.
Beliau berkata yang SEDIA telah bekerjasama dengan TERAJU (Unit Peneraju
ReplyDeleteAgenda Bumiputera) untuk merancakkan penyertaan usahawan Bumiputera dan
sekretariat telah ditubuhkan di pejabat SEDIA untuk tujuan ini.
Sekretariat itu akan menyediakan akses kepada dana pemudahan untuk
ReplyDeleteusahawan Bumiputera dan program TERAS di bawah TERAJU, kata beliau.
Dalam hal ini, Musa berkata yang TERAJU telah memperuntukkan RM100 juta untuk usahawan Bumiputera di Sabah.
ReplyDeleteSEDIA juga telah memeterai memorandum persefahaman dengan SME Bank
ReplyDeletedengan tujuan membimbing PKS yang terlibat dalam aktiviti ekonomi di
SDC, serta mewujudkan akses kepada pembiayaan yang diperlukan," kata
beliau.
Selain daripada itu, beliau berkata, SEDIA telah menganjurkan kursus di
ReplyDeleteSabah Agro-Industrial Precinct, bagi menggalakkan agro-perniagaan dalam
sektor termasuk farma-herba, penternakan dan pemprosesan sarang burung,
agro-organik dan industri agro-makanan dan biosains dan bioteknologi.
Musa berkata SEDIA telah mengambil langkah-langkah untuk menangani
ReplyDeletekeperluan modal insan pelabur, dan juga mengadakan perbincangan dengan
institut pendidikan tempatan dan asing untuk menyertai dalam program
pembangunan modal insan di Sabah, terutamanya di Hab Pendidikan
Sandakan.
Sementara itu, Musa turut gembira untuk memaklumkan yang SEDIA telah
ReplyDeletemenerima sejumlah RM1.506 bilion daripada peruntukan di bawah projek
Rancangan Malaysia Kesembilan dan Rancangan Malaysia Ke-10, dan daripada
jumlah ini, 84 peratus telahpun dibelanjakan.