By Yussof J. Imbang
SANDAKAN; Penangah, a densely populated village in the Tongod district, will transform as soon as the new town project kicks off early next year.
A total of 200 acres has been designated for a mixed transformation project under the Sabah Maju Jaya (SMJ) Development Plan, according to Kuamut assemblyman, Datuk Masiung Banah.
He announced this at the ‘Santai Kalaga’ dinner event at one of the prominent restaurants here last night.
This mixed development, he said, will usher in a new chapter for the Tongod district, which is listed as one of the poorest districts in the country.
Masiung mentioned that RM3 million has already been allocated for initial work, including site measurements, access roads, and drainage in the area.
The mixed project will be carried out in strategic collaboration with the Housing and Urban Development Board (LPPB) and will be developed in phases.
The new town will also feature commercial buildings, public housing, a hospital, a mosque, the Penangah Small Secretariat Office, the District Council, a petrol station, and a bridge crossing the Milian River.
According to Masiung, the establishment of the new town will stimulate economic growth for the people of Tongod, especially the residents of Penangah.
Penangah is located about 70 kilometers from Pekan Tongod and is expected to see various advancements in public infrastructure, given its proximity to a cement factory that is set to start operations by the end of next year.
