Sabah Development Corridor

[MALAYSIAN]

Sabah's development corridor to launch

By MUGUNTAN VANAR & RUBEN SARIO

KOTA KINABALU: After some six months of planning, Sabah’s development corridor is set to take off with its launching expected before the end of the year, the Prime Minister said.

A final meeting would be held in Kuala Lumpur next Friday and Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said he was happy that there were no obstacles in finalising the corridor’s blueprints.

Noting that he told Chief Minister Datuk Musa Aman that he wanted no delays in getting Sabah’s corridor development going, Abdullah said it clearly showed the government’s commitment in seeing the state progress rapidly.

“When we have an idea, it must be translated into proper planning and effective implementation. Otherwise our ideas remain nothing more than dreams,” Abdullah said when launching the Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) 22nd congress here on Sunday.

Later when launching the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) 18th congress, Abdullah said the government's efforts in developing Sabah and Sarawak would be even more effective through the corridor approach.

Noting that Sabah was larger than any of the states in West Malaysia and Sarawak was bigger than the entire peninsula, he said development in both regions would take time.

“Some people may think we are giving less attention to both states but there are problems we have to overcome in terms of logistics and geography because of their sheer size,” Abdullah added.

He said the new growth centres would provide various opportunities to people in far flung remote areas that could not be reached before.