KOTA KINABALU: United Kinabalu Progressive Organisation (UPKO) president Datuk Ewon Benedick hailed the Unity Government’s commitment and determination to tackle issues arising from the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).
He said this was evident in several new measures implemented by the federal government to resolve outstanding issues.
Ewon said these include the relaxation of procurement rules, the handover of gas regulatory powers to the Sabah State Government in January 2023, and the handover of electricity regulatory powers, which is expected to be finalised by January 2024.
“Through this delegation of power or authority, the Sabah State Government has the authority to regulate the supply of gas and electricity based on the interests of the state,” he said in a statement today.
Ewon was commenting on the tabling of the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP) Mid-Term Review (MTR) by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim with the theme Malaysia Madani: Sustainable, Prosperous, High-Income at the Dewan Rakyat on Monday.
In addition, Ewon said, the federal government is also committed to implementing the TBB system development project and upgrading the electricity supply system in the Gugusan FELDA Sahabat Sabah.
This aims to improve the reliability of electricity supply in Sabah, he said.
The project, with a cost of nearly RM195 million, is expected to benefit the people in the area and the East Coast of Sabah Special Security Area (ESSCOM).
Sabah has great potential in solar and biomass-based renewable energy generation to address challenges in energy and electricity supply needs in the future.
When tabling the mid-term review of the 12MP, the Prime Minister also announced that more dilapidated school building reconstruction projects would be implemented in Sabah.
To date, a total of 43 such projects are being implemented in Sabah.
