DAILY EXPRESS (TUESDAY, JULY, 1965) - JESSELTON, July 12 - The first of four large development projects to be under-taken by the Federal Land Development Authority or behalf of Sabah State Government will commence sometime next month, Daily Express reliably learnt here tonight.
Chief Minister, Enchc Peter Lo (pic), in confirming this, however added that the State Government has not officially approached the FLDA to commence any of the projected four schemes because investigations and “other surveys in the projects have not yet been completed.
Meanwhile, Dato Taib bin Haji Andak, the FLDA Chairman who arrived here this morning, told newsmen that he was not aware of this officially and would not elaborate further. Dato Taib, who was accompanied by Mr. Ferguson, the Chief Planning Officer, Malaysia, said that the FLDA had established a branch of its agency herein May and the FLDA Secretary here, Mr. Isher Singh, was in charge of investigations on possible areas of developments, as required by the State Development Committee which has been recently set up.
The FLDA Chairman, on his first visit since the branch was set up here, added that the land in Sabah under the FLDA schemes would be developed on the same lines as FLDA schemes in Malaya “with perhaps slight modifications here and there to suit local conditions.”
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He stressed, however, that it was the onus of the State Government to make specific requests to the FLDA to develop remarked areas which the State thought was suitable for any type of cultivation. The FLDA authorities and experts would then make investigations to see whether the areas suggested were suitable and economically sound for land development and then open it up for settlers.
The FLDA will, if the area and soil fertility are found suitable, carry out the dvelopment of the areas.
The Authority will supply the funds for such development schemes and also give loans to the settlers. The crops to be planted will be determined on the basis of the nature of the soil. At the moment, FLDA are engaged mainly in oil palm and rubber production, it was pointed out.
Dato Taib stated that it was possible for the Sabah State Government to subsidise some of their projects.
The FLDA Chairman, elaborating on their schemes, said that the development would be in the form of settlement but directed and supervised by Field officers appointed by the FLDA. Men from both Sabah and Sarawak are presently being trained in Malaya to undertake these tasks.
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Dato Taib reiterated that the FLDA only carried out supervisory work in the development projects of the country assigned to the Authority for implementation on behalf of the State Government. Late tonight, the Chief Minister, clarified why the FLDA has not yet been officially aware of the four areas and projects remarked for development under the FLDA supervision and advice.
The Chief Minister explained that “right now the State has already four clear projects on hand for development.”
But, he added, these had been earlier submitted to the FLDA whose officials have sent them back to answer comprehensive questioner related to details on the projects, the areas involved and the economics of the entire projects. The State Development Committee under the Chairmanship of Enche Saad Walad is already tackling this issue now and is engaged now in processing the answers to the profoma questionnaires to be submitted later w the FLDA for their scrutiny and final approval. The Chief Minister indicated the State Committee has already recommended and earmarked the projects and areas for implementing the projects.
These projects are now in the processing stage. The profoma questionnaires asked by FLDA have to be completed to help furnish full information to the FLDA for their own decision on the feasibility and suitability of the projects to be implemented. Unless the FLDA is satisfied with the soundness of the projects, and or the economics of the projects, the soil fertility and other related factors, the FLDA are not likely to undertake any projects.
The Chief Minister however, stressed that these surveys all be completed by early next month and the first of the four projects would be in the process of implementation sometime next month.
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“We are preparing ourselves with. all speed to hand over all the four projects we have earmarked to the FLDA official,” the Chief Minister said, adding “I am sure they will be ready soon to go ahead with the projects one by one in order of urgency and facility.”