Kota Kinabalu: Senallang Assemblyman Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal said Sabah could position itself as an international attraction for gold products rather than simply allowing private companies to extract and profit from these resources.
He drew attention to a major gold development project proposed in Nagos, Semporna, covering nearly a thousand hectares, that was proposed and during his administration he insisted that such resources remain under State control.
“When I was in government, I insisted that it must belong to the State Government. When we have raw materials like gold, do not give it to the private sector. Give it to the government.”
He cited Dubai as an example of successful resource management. “Dubai does not have gold deposits, but Dubai is now among the largest gold markets globally.”
The former Chief Minister said Sabah should also prioritise human capital skills development and digital transformation to keep pace with neighbouring states and meet market demands.
“Sabah talks about artificial intelligence and networking, but our State Government still relies on physical files for their operations,” Shafie said.
“If you go to the Sarawak border, they are using computers, while in Sabah, we are still using manual systems,” he said.
“How can we talk about Sabah advancing forward under these conditions? he said.
He also spoke about native customary rights and titles deeds, acknowledging that land issues, especially native title concerns, are not new problems.
“After years, many still do not have proper titles,” he said, citing visits to Banggi in Kudat where residents have occupied land for 50 to 60 years without proper land documentation.
“When I was in government, we issued 480 land grants in Tambunan and 2,800 in Keningau. These are rights that must be given to grassroots citizens.
“It is not just about giving land, we must ensure people have the ability to cultivate it,” he said, citing initiatives he started for pineapple farming in Moyog and ginger cultivation projects.
On another note, he said downstream processing is equally important for Sabah to add value to agriculture products.
“We must collect all available raw materials and reprocess them downstream, creating jobs and businesses in packaging and processing,” he said, suggesting that such initiatives could help eradicate poverty among less educated communities.
