SIPITANG, July 8 — Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal wants to place Sabah as one of the more industrially developed states in the country.

He said that it was not impossible to achieve and the appointment of Parti Warisan Sabah (Warisan) deputy president Sabah-born Darell Leiking as the International Trade and Industry Minister was capable of bringing about changes to Sabah.

"We will be linking up this appointment with industrialisation in the state. We not only ensure the political landscape changes, but the state administration (too), we align its structure not only in the interest of the people but also to develop Sabah in Malaysia,” he said.

He was speaking at an Aidilfitri Open House in collaboration with Petronas and SOGIT with the Sipitang community, here today.

Also present were the Sabah Innovation Education Minister and Sindumin Assemblyman Datuk Dr Yusof Yacob and Sabah Petronas and Labuan chairman Mohd Zaini Mohd Yunus.

Mohd Shafie, who is also Warisan president, said Sabah’s bountiful natural resources should rightly provide many employment opportunities to its people.

Therefore, he also assured that locals especially those in the Sipitang district would be given priority to employment opportunities at the Sabah Forest Industry (SFI) factory.

He said the state government would not compromise if the company failed to comply with the conditions set.

Meanwhile, Mohd Shafie, who is Senallang State Assemblyman, wanted to develop downstream activities for palm oil to create more job opportunities.       

"We will make sure all supermarkets sell Sabah’s cooking oil, otherwise their licences will not be issued,” he said. — Bernama