KOTA KINABALU, Sept 16 — Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob took note of Sabah's development needs during his maiden visit to the state as the prime minister, said the Chief Minister’s Office.

According to a statement from the office, Ismail Sabri said that the federal government will prioritise projects beneficial to public welfare such as schools, infrastructure and amenities.

"The prime minister acknowledged the state’s needs for more funds which he will duly consider especially to the Penampang district which bore the brunt of damages in yesterday’s bad weather,” said the statement.

Several hours of rain yesterday had wreaked havoc on many areas in the state capital as well as the neighbouring Penampang district which saw landslides and many houses and cars submerged.

Ismail Sabri is on a one-day official visit to Sabah in conjunction with the Malaysia Day celebration at the Sabah International Convention Centre (SICC) this evening.

Following a briefing by state secretary at Menara Kinabalu, Ismail Sabri presented a mock cheque of RM18,241,250 as the federal government's contribution through the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma) to chief minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor.