Sabah needs to hasten industrialisation: CM
Published on: Monday, November 18, 2019
By: Ottey Peter
KOTA KINABALU: Sabah needs to hasten its industrialisation drive by harnessing its resources, geographical and the power tools of the Industrial Revolution 4.0 (IR4) in order to advance in step with the rest of Malaysia.
Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal said the State Government is committed to achieve its industrialisation objective through the Kota Kinabalu Industrial Park (KKIP) to realise the master plan.
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He said KKIP, being the pioneer of industrialisation in Sabah, has the unenviable task of having to do more than just developing an industrial park with basic infrastructure and persuading investors.
“As we look towards making Sabah an industrialised State by 2030, KKIP should take a fresh look at innovation and devise ways to use technologies to attain the quantum leap that Sabah needs.
“For example, in the Free Economic Zone of KKIP which includes hubs for logistics, automotive, aerospace, biotechnology and halal manufacturing, I must assume that IR4 is part of the thought process or the entire value chain.
“From the products we hope to make, the technologies we want to use to the type of investors we wish to attract, it must be IR4-compatible,” he said at the KKIP’s 25th Anniversary celebration held at the Shangri Hotel Tanjung Aru Resort, here, Friday. His speech was read by his Deputy Chief Minister cum Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Wilfred Madius Tangau.
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He said the State Government is always taking the necessary steps to deliver the best services and facilitate business and investment for both local and foreign investors to Sabah.
He believe that IR4 offers the wherewithal outside the box of conventional wisdom and gives wider manifestation in every endeavour in Sabah.
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“We have for decades talked about the comparative advantages we have by way of the availability of raw resources. For example, we have plenty of coal in the region with which we can produce cheap energy. But coal is a fossil fuel and its burning is considered bad tor the environment.
“The challenge is for us to find win-win ways. As we continue to pursue the ideals of a new Sabah and as we begin planning for the 12th Malaysia Plan 2020, the pace and urgency are intensifying, and we need to respond accordingly,” he said.
Meanwhile, KKIP Chief Executive Officer Datuk IR Melvin Disimond said KKIP will continue to look out for viable targeted sectors in ensuring the enablers for investors’ competitive cost of doing business are in place and to create more jobs.
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