Complete basic infrastructure for Sabah to progress - Bung Moktar

Sabah Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin said a long-term programme is required to manage the development of infrastructure.

"At the moment, there are still areas without roads, water and electricity supply and villagers have started to voice their problems and my ministry is responsible in the matter, I wish I have Aladin's lamp to resolve all the people's grievances.

"Some areas I have visited such as in Pitas, 60 villages do not have piped water and many other villages faced the same problems, so I requested the Prime Minister (Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob) to give more attention to the problems faced by residents in Sabah," he said here today.

Bung Moktar who is also the state Works Minister said when speaking at the launch of Sabah Eastern Zone Pan Borneo Highway at Dataran Tamu Pekan, Kota Kinabatangan here which was officiated by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

In this regard, Bung Moktar also called on the Prime Minister to consider using Private Financing Initiative (PFI) so that the Pan Borneo Highway could be realised in a shorter period of time.

"The Sabah Works Ministry has submitted to the federal government the implementation of the PFI project so that the Pan Borneo Highway could proceed smoothly if not it may take 40 years to complete phase one of the project," he said and added that the project would bring positive impact to the people.

Meanwhile. he said the Sabah government is determined to take Sabah out of the branding as the poorest state in Malaysia in five years.

"For 58 years of independence with Malaysia, the rate of poverty of Sabah is still the highest and the government seriously wants to leave the category," he said.