POIC Sabah reaffirms long-term development goals amid election season misinformation
KOTA KIKNABALU (July 16): The Sabah public is advised to be wary of half-truths and outward lies in social media in the run up to the Sabah state elections.
'Much is at stake and understandably there are intensifying pitches by many hiding behind anonymity in the informal media spaces.
'While we see the expression of dissenting views as an indicator of our healthy democracy, we need to be on guard against lies and conjectures,' said Datuk Fredian Gan, the Group Chief Executive Officer of state-owned POIC Sabah Sdn Bhd, the developer of the POIC Lahad Datu industrial park.
He was responding to a recent CGA-generated video that generalised a list of state-backed economic initiatives and billion-ringgit projects as mere 'stage acts' (pentas wayang) and 'white elephants'.
The clip, among others, referred to POIC Sabah's intention to grow POIC Lahad Datu into a logistics hub, dismissing it as 'still remains just a signboard'.
Describing this as 'unfair, premature conclusion', Gan said: We are looking to leverage POIC Lahad Datu's outstanding harbour, location and port infrastructure to make it into a logistics hub primarily for the BIMP-EAGA territories.
'A hub evolves slowly as economies in EAGA recognise our advantages and our usefulness for growth, which every EAGA territory aspires to.
'EAGA covers territories of four Asean countries each with their uniqueness and command of different sources and strengths.
'We at POIC Sabah have been promoting BIMP-EAGA's economic relevance to the global scene is best when we are viewed as one, combining our market (80 million people), resources (palm oil, oil and gas, timber, cocoa, minerals) and our collective influence, and our aim is to make POIC Lahad Datu the centre of a conversation,' he said in a statement on Wednesday.
Gan clarified that he was in no position to comment on the video clip made about several other state initiatives, but he cautioned Sabah people to be alert to spins and conjectures aimed purely at putting the state government and its agencies in a bad place.
He stressed that POIC Lahad Datu was created 20 years ago to lead the deepening of Sabah's massive oil palm industry via value adding industries.
The industrial park has attracted investments totalling over RM13 billion. When fully operational, more than 3,200 people will be directly employed by these investors with thousands more benefiting from the spillover effects.
POIC has successfully secured principal approval from the Ministry of Finance to establish a free zone spanning 3,000 acres in a newly earmarked area in Lahad Datu. In addition, the park has been awarded Halmas status, positioning it as a certified halal hub and enhancing its appeal to investors in the halal industry. Both initiatives are currently progressing and are key components of POIC's strategic growth plan.
'We are also involved in the plans for the relocation of Lahad Datu airport. We are in the move. But there is unfortunately no quick fixes. It is rhetorical to say that development and progress take time, but there's no other way of putting it,' said Gan.
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