Many of the flagship projects, or Entry Point Projects (EPP) under the Sabah Development Corridor (SDC) have been stalled for years since SDC’s inception. I urge the state government to join local based corporate to work hand in hand to salvage those missing EPP.
This year is the 10th year anniversary of SDC. Launched during former prime minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s time, the SDC came hand-in-hand with the Economic Transformation Program (ETP) introduced by the current Prime Minister Najib Razak. Under the ETP there is Entry Point Project (EPP) which could have high impact on SDC and transform the economy.
It is timely to review SDC performance. Firstly, since 2008, the cumulative investment totaled RM163 bilion as at second quarter of last year, how much of it being realized? Cumulative investment for who will commit to do the investment but not necessary all realized.
If the RM163 billion generated by EPP, my question is where are some of the announced EPP today? There are EPP that are missing.
For example in Tawau, the Tawau Green Energy (TGE) at Apas Kiri to produce 37MW geothermal power is one of the EPP and the latest news received was 26.7 percent shares acquired by Ranhill Holding Sdn Bhd last year fourth quarter which is equivalent to RM18.7 million.
The project seems at a standstill. The road to the project site which was built using federal government grant RM35 million is in poor condition now.
Another missing EPP is Darden Aquasciences Sdn Bhd a subsidiary of Darden Restaurants Inc., a Fortune 500 company in US. The project is for lobster farm on a 6,000 hectares under the integrated lobster aquaculture park (iLAP) in Semporna, with a RM1 billion investment.
Another missing EPP is Alorie Lepa-Lepa Resort on a 80 acres water area near Mabul Island. The promised investment is RM164 billion. Where are these promised investment?
I only consider the Sipadan Mangrove Resort which is still running as a success, but the rest I mentioned earlier as failures.
Those EPP have been receiving some form of subsidies or government assistance to promote economic transformation. However, the problem lies when investors could simply get away scot-free, leaving a mess for the government. Therefore, I wish to remind the government that they should come out with a solution on this matter, otherwise the locals would be affected.
Thus the review of SDC must reflect the missing EPP and the government must come clean on the missing and standstill projects which have utilized government’s grant and cost tax payers money.
On the other hand, although the Sabah Forest Industries (SFI) was not part of the SDC, the government have the obligation to revive the paper mill in Sipitang, which is facing financial crisis now. Employees were forced to receive half of their salaries started this year.
Athough a few months back the Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Raymond Tan had promised to look into the future plans of SFI, but since then there was no concrete action taken and thus leaving the employees hang to dry.
The result of aforementioned project is one of many examples to show that the Musa-led government have failed the people of Sabah.
I don’t think Musa Aman is fulfilling his promise to develop the SDC. His most successful ‘achievement’ thus far is probably only the grandeur of his own office, the state administration building at a cost of nearly RM600 million.