KOTA KINABALU, Jan 22 — The Sabah State Cabinet approved the establishment of the State Public-Private Partnership and Concession Project Management Committee, a move aimed at strengthening oversight and streamlining joint public-private initiatives in the state.

Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Hajiji Noor said the new committee would replace the State Privatisation Committee, which was formed in 1991.

“The new committee will review three categories of projects, compared to the previous committee, which assessed projects solely from the privatisation perspective,” he said.

Under the new structure, public-private project proposals will be initiated by the respective ministries and first referred to the technical committee, chaired by the State Economic Planning Unit.

Projects deemed viable will then be forwarded to the main committee, led by the State Secretary, for further scrutiny before final Cabinet approval.

This process ensures the accuracy of the project scope involving both the state government and the private sector, such as water and road concessions, or housing projects, Hajiji said.

He added that all joint ventures involving the state must now undergo review by the new committee.

Chairing the first Chief Minister’s Department post-Cabinet meeting at Menara Kinabalu since the formation of the new government, Hajiji also announced updates to the Rumah Mesra SMJ housing initiative for 2026.

The cost of a unit with pillars has been increased to RM95,000, while a unit without pillars is now RM85,000.

“The increase caters to additional costs, such as transportation of building materials, land reclamation, and installation of electric poles and water pipes,” he explained.

Hajiji further revealed that the Hala Tuju Sabah Maju Jaya 2.0 Development Plan for 2026-2030 will be launched on Jan 30 in conjunction with his keynote address ceremony to the State Public Service, Government-Linked Companies, and Statutory Bodies personnel.

The event is expected to draw more than 7,000 personnel. — The Borneo Post