Papar needs a master plan, says Aidi
Published on: Thursday, October 31, 2019
By: Hayati Dzulkifli
.jpg "Papar needs a master plan, says Aidi")
PAPAR: State Law and Native Affairs Minister Datuk Aidi Moktar said the Special Development Strategic Plan (Blueprint) for Papar was founded and created as he noted that the development process here was slow and only on ad-hoc basis, as well as not being systematically organised.
Aidi, who is also Pantai Manis Assemblyman, said Papar, which has huge potential to be developed, does not even have a sports complex, unlike in Kuala Penyu, Beaufort and Sipitang which have one such facility each.
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“I believe such unorganised development here is most likely because there is no master plan for Papar.
“That is why the elected people representatives realised that Papar must have a master plan to develop the district which does not lie on the shoulders of the YBs, as well as the local authorities and people here.
“We see a dire need to create the blueprint by forming a group of professionals known as ‘Papar Think Tank Group’ that came up with a commendable Special Strategic Development (Blueprint) for Papar District 2019-2024 that is officially launched here today (Tuesday).
“So, by having the blueprint, it could facilitate the government departments and relevant authorities here based on the nine clusters to develop Papar,” Aidi said.
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He said he is very confident that Papar would undergo rapid development as the district will be getting several mega projects like the proposed Papar Dam project and the Trade and Industry Ministry will bring in a furniture factory.
Of four to five palm oil-based cooking oil factories to be set up by the State Government in Sabah, Aidi said he will ask the Chief Minister for one such factory to be in Papar as there are oil palm plantations in Beaufort and Sipitang.
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He said having the furniture factory and cooking oil factory could create ample jobs for the local youths.
“I believe and am confident that a proposal to relocate the Kota Kinabalu International Airport (KKIA) to Papar would be suitable as the district has vast lands,” he said.
In the blueprint, Aidi said there are three promises and one is to ensure a second bridge at Kg Buang Sayang is constructed to ease congested traffic flow as the present situation has become a bottleneck during weekends and festive celebrations that caused traffic jam even up to Kinarut.
“Building the second bridge would be my priority as this is one of my promises in my manifesto in the previous general election.
“I have met the Chief Minister to request for a fund of RM45 million to materialise construction of the second bridge here at least within the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP) and before the next general election,” Aidi said, adding the Chief Minister will look for funds to realise the aspiration for Papar people.
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