Kota Kinabalu: Sabah and its people are honoured and excited over the visit of Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah and Raja Permaisuri Agong Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah to the State in conjunction with the “Kembara Kenali Borneo” tour, Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor said.
He said the ongoing tour programme was very meaningful to the people in Sabah as they had the opportunity to watch the royal couple and their children up close.
He said some even had the opportunity to greet Their Majesties at several stopover locations during the tour.
Their Majesties’ concern and warmth will forever be etched in the hearts of the people, Hajiji said at a dinner hosted by the State Government in conjunction with the Kembara Kenali Borneo (Sabah) tour at the Sabah International Convention Centre, Wednesday night.
Al-Sultan Abdullah and Tunku Azizah graced the event.
Also present were the Yang Dipertua of Sabah Tun Juhar Mahiruddin, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof and Sabah assembly speaker Datuk Seri Kadzim Haji M Yahya.
Hajiji said the people greatly admired His Majesty’s readiness and willingness to both explore and drive himself along the Pan Borneo Highway from Tawau to Kota Kinabalu before continuing the journey to Sipitang on Thursday and then to Sarawak.
“May this historic Kembara Kenali Borneo tour remain beautifully etched in the hearts of His Majesty and the royal family forever,” he said.
Al-Sultan Abdullah and Tunku Azizah are on a 2,154km journey from Sept 3 to Sept 13 from Tawau, Sabah, via the Pan Borneo Highway that connects Sabah, Sarawak and Brunei before ending the tour in Telok Melano, Sarawak.
Meanwhile, Hajiji also informed His Majesty that the total amount of trade in Sabah hit its highest in history last year, at RM118.1 billion, compared to only RM87.2 billion the previous year.
The Chief Minister said despite only taking over the administration three years ago, the State Government was able to bring in more than RM33 billion in investments to Sabah, besides also chalking the highest record in state revenue collection at RM7 billion.
