TAWAU: Sabah government will plan a more comprehensive development in the state’s east coast after it obtains the result of regional development studies involving the area in near future.
Chief Minister Tan Sri Musa Aman said the studies known as Southern Region Development Research was implemented with the collaboration of Performance Management Delivery Unit (Pemandu) of the Prime Minister’s Department.
He said the government was currently awaiting the results to identify the regional potential, which covers Tawau, Semporna, Kunak, Lahad Datu and Sandakan districts.
“The studies done by Pemandu have been completed and will be launched soon so that we can assess potential projects in the area to increase revenue, and provide jobs and income to the people,” he said at the launching of the district Urban Transformation Centre (UTC) here today.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak was present to launch the Tawau UTC. Also in attendance were his wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor; Sabah Deputy Chief Ministers Datuk Yahya Hussin and Datuk Raymond Tan Shu Kiah; State Legislative Assembly speaker Datuk Syed Abas Syed Ali; and Higher Learning deputy minister Datuk Mary Yap Kain Ching.
The Tawau UTC, which is managed by the district municipal council, is the third centre operating in Sabah after Kota Kinabalu UTC and Keningau UTC.
The facilities established at the Pasar Tanjung building here began its operation in August 2016 after undergoing renovation process for about 10 weeks with a cost of RM30 million.
Speaking on the UTC, Musa, who is also Sabah BN chairman, said the centre was among the transformation brought by Najib and had benefited the rakyat, especially in boosting the services of federal and state government agencies as well as departments under one roof.
“The quality services have helped to facilitate the people. This is the Prime Minister’s inspiration to provide ease to the people. The policy and programmes inspired by the prime minister all this while is towards helping the people," he said.