SANDAKAN, Sept 3 — The Sabah government has decided to exempt market traders statewide from having to pay rent until next year, Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal said today.

He said the decision was enforced from the beginning of this year to ease the burden of those affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.

"For small entrepreneurs such as food truck, night market and farmers’ market traders, the state government will not collect the rental for trading sites amounting to RM6-7 million a year.

"During this pandemic situation, our people are facing difficulties (finding income). We do not want to burden them,” he told reporters after handing over native land grants to 522 Sandakan residents here.

At the event, Mohd Shafie also launched the Gum-Gum Agricultural Entrepreneur Incubator to expose the Sandakan youths to modern technology to increase agricultural productivity.

He also launched the Sandakan-level Electronic Planning Permission (EPP) system to facilitate developers to submit application for planning permission via online. — Bernama