KOTA KINABALU: The communal grant concept introduced by the previous state government will be scrapped, as promised in the Parti Warisan Sabah's election manifesto.
Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal said the party will fulfill every promise in its manifesto, including getting rid of the communal grants.
“I am identifying several approaches to be used and later to be refined by our lawyers,” he said at the Warisan Hari Raya Aidilfitri open house celebration here, today.
The communal grant introduced in 2010, was aimed to ensure that villagers can pass down the lands they are working on to future generations and not sell them to outsiders.
However, there were some complaints received about the limitations involving shared land titles.
Shafie, who is also state Finance Minister, added that the state government will also be working to solve the squatter problem in the state, caused by the influx of people from the rural areas to the cities.
“We need to know what laws to enact… If we can provide lands to huge businesses, why can’t we provide lands to rural folk living in the cities,” he said, adding that the state Local Government and Housing Ministry has been instructed to look into the matter.
On another development, he pointed out the need for Sabah to embrace industrialisation and making it a main income generator for the state.
He said efforts are being made to create downstream activities which could offer job opportunities to the people.
"Sabah therefore could no longer depend on contribution from exports and royalties from resources such as logs and palm oil, and must pave a new way."
“In line with that, I would like to congratulate Penampang Member of Parliament, Darell Leiking who has been appointed as International Trade and Industry Minister.
“Industrial sector will be our priority and will fill our economic development programmes in years to come, allowing us to further grow.” he said.
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