Kota Kinabalu: Former Chief Minister Datuk Seri Yong Teck Lee said the most logical way forward for the Sabah Trade Centre is to approve the applications by Tanjung Aru Eco Development (TAED) and Office of the Special Envoy of Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines-East Asean Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA).
He said both TAED and BIMP-EAGA Envoy office are headed by former Speaker of Parliament Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia, who reports directly to the Chief Minister.
“As an active partner in the BIMP-EAGA region, Sabah needs to have our own Facilitation Office and centre to showcase Sabah’s economic progress, including to host expositions as a strategy to promote trade that is beneficial to Sabah.
“What better place than the Sabah Trade Centre which can made ready in a matter of months at minimal cost,” he said in a statement, Friday.
Yong, who is a Nominated Assemblyman, said the belated explanation by the Industrial Development and Entrepreneurship Minister on the fate of the Sabah Trade Centre shows that the lack of an OC (occupational certificate) is not a stumbling block to the operation at Sabah Trade Centre.
He said the Ministry’s full explanation made no mention of OC and did not address any of the valid questions raised by the current management (MB Managers and Consultants).
As widely reported in the media, he said TAED which is a State government agency has already submitted a proposal to the Government to operate the Sabah Trade Centre.
“This means that TAED and BIMP-EAGA Envoy office already has a concrete plan,” he added.
