Many initiatives in place to support development of Sabah's youth, says Hajiji
This is because children and youth play important roles in the development of the state, bringing it to greater heights at par with other states in Malaysia, the Chief Minister said.
He said Sabah is in the midst of transforming various industries, be it economy, social, education and infrastructure to achieve the Sabah Maju Jaya vision.
'Therefore we need the energy, ideas and motivation of these youths to get things going the way we envision it to,' said Hajiji when officiating at the Program Perintis Muda Di Hati Ketua Menteri here, Wednesday (April 30).
His speech was delivered by Sabah Community Development and People's Well-being Minister Datuk James Ratib.
In committing to develop quality human capital in Sabah, the state government has allocated a total of RM75.5mil to implement 13 educational assistant initiatives, such as the Budi, Bakti, Sentosa, GRS-Subfly and Baik programmes, he said.
Hajiji said the state government scholarship (BKNS) has also increased from RM51mil to RM128mil this year, so that more eligible students are able to further their education and chase after their dreams.
'The state is focused and committed to creating our future assets, so we may have competent, innovative, resilient and principled human capital,' he said.
Speaking about the event, he said participating youths are trained in how to become future leaders and pioneers of social and economic changes in their communities.
'I believe through programmes like these, we will be able to create a mature, strong, academically and career excelling group of young people,' said Hajiji.
He also advised against the use of substances such as drugs which could affect the overall growth of youths.
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Hajiji replying to reporters at the recent Gagasan Rakyat annual convention. While the 'Go solo!' proponents continue their call, on the other side of the fence, the 'No solo!' advocates are also drumming up for support! The former are those who insist on fighting for independence from political meddling in Sabah by Peninsular-based parties, and continuing to push forward with the 'Sabah for Sabahans' slogan, while the latter feel such a desire, while noble, is not the best choice to win the next state general election (PRN17). Heading this group is no less than the Chief Minister, Datuk Seri Panglima Hajiji Hj Noor, who feels that the best strategic choice to win PRN17 and retain governance of Sabah is by keeping GRS intact and strengthened it with a strategic partnership with Pakatan Harapan (PH). 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He sees that the PH will bring in the DAP with the pull-in power to attract the Chinese voters, a strength no local Chinese party has. As he has always maintained, Sabah's governance must continue a close co-operation with the federal government for continued development, and partnership with PH in the PRN17 will ensure election victory and pre-seal close state-federal relations post-election. 'We need to be pragmatic and not be unduly influenced by emotion,' he said. 'Going solo may look heroic but that will be a path with huge potentials for mistakes!' He is not alone in his view. In a viral write-up by Usno Chief Information Officer, Iskandar Zulkarnain Ismail, he asserts that 'Let us not allow our common cause to be divided while our political opponents quietly reorganise to reclaim what we built. Let Sabahans see STAR, PBS, USNO and all GRS components rise as one, with clarity, maturity and determination — not out of frustration, but from a place of purpose and people's mandate. 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'Beyond the numbers, frequent changes in government trigger a cascade of administrative resets: every time a new ruling bloc takes over, files are reopened, tenders reviewed, and projects paused. The PanBorneo Highway's stopstart history is a textbook example. Tens of thousands of commuters and businesses waited years while successive administrations rechecked paperwork instead of laying asphalt. Instability also chills federal support. Like it or not, Malaysia's treasury sits in Kuala Lumpur; when Sabah's leadership keeps revolving, officials in Putrajaya grow reluctant to release large, multiyear allocations, unsure whether the next state cabinet will even honour existing agreements. Shut the door on constructive dialogue, and Sabah slides to the back of the funding queue while other states with steadier governance move ahead. In short, a solo crusade may satisfy an urge for defiance, but it fragments voter power, stalls essential projects, and risks freezing out the very development funds firsttime voters want to see invested in their future. As such, GRS leaders and supporters appear to be already split. PBS has repeatedly made the assurance about its loyalty to GRS while STAR has gone along with the flow in GRS with a sizable segment of its members wanting a different path, echoing out the solo dream. But for all we know, Hajiji's choice to continue aligning with PH may actually be the most practical, logical and pragmatic – and wise – approach towards ensuring GRS keeps the seat of government post-PRN17. While cynics may speak negatively against his decision, he may eventually be proven right. His task now, of course, is the sell the idea to all GRS leaders and the people to ensure his formula for victory works out and ultimately solidifying his legacy as a statesman with the record as the longest-serving assemblyman.
