Implement federal-funded projects in Sabah according to schedule - Ewon

Ewon speaks to media members at the event.
KOTA BELUD (June 3): Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Minister Datuk Ewon Benedick stated that all development projects in Sabah funded by the Federal Government must be carried out according to the schedule set.
Ewon, who also serves as co-chairman of the Federal-State Sabah Development Project Monitoring Coordination Intervention Committee together with Sabah Deputy Chief Minister III Datuk Shahelmey
Yahya, said the committee is tasked with ensuring that all projects in the pre-implementation category can be initiated.
'Datuk Shahelmey and I are responsible for monitoring and proposing solutions to any issues causing delays in the commencement of these projects.
'Once the projects are handed over to the implementing agencies and contractors, monitoring will continue through other platforms such as the Development Action Meeting,' he said after officiating the Kaamatan Festival celebration and the opening of the Kampung Podos open hall here yesterday.
Ewon was commenting on the latest developments in the meeting of the Federal-State Sabah Development Programme and Project Monitoring Coordination Intervention Committee.
He said the implementation of the Special Intervention Meetings, initiated earlier this year, had shown positive results.
'Many technical and administrative issues have been resolved more quickly through direct engagement between implementing agencies, ministries, and the State Government,' he said.
Based on the report presented at the Sabah Federal-State Development Project Monitoring Coordination Meeting last May, the number of projects in pre-implementation status has been reduced from 207 projects to 137 projects.
Ewon described this decrease as a positive development resulting from the cooperation of various parties.
'We have proposed several measures to technical departments and the ministries responsible for the projects so that any outstanding issues can be discussed and resolved.
'I hope the percentage of projects that have commenced will continue to rise in the upcoming meetings,' he said.
He also expressed his appreciation to all ministries, the Sabah Government and technical departments that have succeeded in expediting procurement processes, contractor appointments, and tenders for projects that had not yet begun.
'I am satisfied with the cooperation shown by all those involved in this intervention committee,' he said.

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Daily Express

5 hours ago

Daily Express

Sabah has many lightweight politicians

Published on: Sunday, June 01, 2025 Published on: Sun, Jun 01, 2025 By: John Lo Text Size: Many Leaders Don't Appreciate Problems of Majority of Sabahans. Worse. Some are plain ignorant, couldn't careless or greedy and selfish.[1] Leaders from Malaya: Advertisement They fly in their private jets, others in business class [some with marauding and predatory businessmen in tow], welcomed at the airport, ushered into KKIA VIP lounge, given VIPs treatment by subservient Sabahans. Chauffeur driven in expensive limousine or Lexus 4x4. Can't feel the bumps and potholes on the bad roads. Expensive five star meals. Give rousing speeches, promises of pie in the sky with their sleek tongues, but with little relevance to the plights of Sabahans. VIP send offs at KKIA VIP lounge. Wave good-byes to their Sabah macai. All the promises in their speeches to Sabahans forgotten before they enter their planes. Next time, don't listen to their words. Watch their body language. To them, Sabah is only a small piece of their political jigsaw, not 1/3 partner of Malaysia, that needs to be controlled and owned for their national political strategy and to fuel their personal national political ambitions. To them, Sabah political leaders are like tea bags, needed when useful, after use, dust bin in they go. Ask yourselves, how many leaders from Malaya did really care for Sabahans? Look at the poverty in Sabah, the huge disparity of development in Sabah and Malaya. Sabah would have been developed if only the Federal Government has devoted 10pc of fund and efforts that it has poured into Selangor for Sabah. There lies your answer. Any 'naughty' Sabah leaders, especially 'branch managers' of Malayan parties, would be cast off swiftly. This has been ongoing since MA63. Can Sabahans blame them? No. They have their own political base, state and federal political ambitions to worry! Blame our leaders who have boxed themselves and Sabah into this unenviable rat-hole, all because they have failed their duties to Sabahans. They have downgraded Sabah's position to inconsequence and irrelevance politically and economically. To the Malayan leaders, how important is Sabah in comparison with other states? Very unimportant for a simple reason, Sabah leaders can be 'sorted' out easily, submissive and undemanding. Reflections of these are on the shabby treatments, among many others, in the allocation of development fund and total lack of representation in Federal agencies and GLCs for Sabah. For that, Sabahans have suffered for it for decades. [2] Very Few Sabah leaders can stand up to Malayan leaders. Rare. Very few. Not enough of them! Most Sabah Leaders are no match compared with Leaders from Malaya. Sabah has too many light weight political leaders. There is a giant vacuum, a very severe shortage of statesmanship among Sabah leaders. Urgently required: 'Sabah for Sabahans' Leaders with Quality. Are there such leaders? Very, very few! How many leaders are expounding their economic ideas to make our lives better in the coming election? Our only hope is that the 2025 election will bless us with a few more. What Leadership Qualities Sabah must have? [1] Decent, Principled, Upright, Assertive with Wisdom and Pragmatism, Able to Command Respect from Malayan Leaders in Federal Government. Example? As a matter of principle, Rafizi has just resigned as Economy Minister. He has refused to cling on to power. No Sabah equivalent. [2] Appreciative of economic plights of Sabahans from the B40, rural farmers, fishermen and young families whose meagre incomes are being eroded by incessant inflation at an alarming speed. How many care Sabah children are walking through mud and rain on empty stomachs to schools? [3] In depth understanding of Sabah's deep-rooted and long outstanding economic malaises, especially the loss of economic ownership to non-Sabahans. [4] Assertive leadership on 40% net revenue share, TSA 2012, MA63 Rights, equitable representation as 1/3 partner in all important Federal Agencies, GLCs, GLICs and Statutory Bodies. All these are Malaya centric. Equally important, Sabah must have a say in all important Federal Policies, especially monetary, fiscal, investment, industrialization. [5] Stop leakages. Tighten and expand collection of revenue: So much resources, so much poverty. This situation must be obvious to anyone who cares. Leakages from corruption, careless procurements, poor collection of taxes, senseless spending. A lot of potential revenue can be collected. Masidi is doing a good job in plugging many of these loopholes, hence the impressive increase of state revenue. This must continue. [6] Stop GLCs' massive Bleeding. Indifferent chairmen and directors, poor and bad governance have bled away billions. Hajiji and Masidi have initiated revamp with an oversight committee and appointed some good/qualified people in SMJ Energy, Sabah Energy, SOGDC, Sabah Credit, POIC LD. This will require extraordinary leadership quality with political courage to continue the revamp. Sorting out the GLCs will be equivalent to solving more than 50% of Sabah's economic problems. The GLCs, mostly not performing, are in all important economic sectors and have monopolies. Sabah's economy will be great if the GLCs can be transformed to perform. If each of the 250 GLCs, on average, can contribute Rm20m dividend, this will amount to RM5b to Sabah's revenue. If each GLC can generate 10 meaningful jobs for, it will come to 2,500. 100 will be 25,000! We can say good bye to unemployment. The multiplier effects will tremendous! Sabah will be great again. Absolutely possible 1: KPJ Hospital Group [Johor SEDCO] makes RM350m profit, has 15,000 employees. Its market capitalization of RM1.9b. How many Sabah's GLC can match KPJ's profits? Absolutely possible 2: Many Sabah's GLCs have many monopolies, free land, Sabah Government's backing and special concessions and approvals. But they must monetize all these advantages. Grow the Economy, Manage the Resources, Retain and Attract more investments. Sabah leaders must grow the economy as a top priority. Grow and expand the economy is the ultimate solution to solve Sabah perennial problems of infrastructures and unemployment. In trying to grow the Sabah's economy, Hajiji has laid the foundation for Sabah's economic restructure. Substantial progress so far, especially in oil/gas and manufacturing. He has also attracted RM58b investments. Deeply saddening that a very tiny number of leaders, up to now, have shared their ideas on growing the economy, managing Sabah's resources for Sabahans, retain investment already in Sabah and attract more investment. Steering the Sabah's economy onto a growth path will be very challenging in the very uncertain global, multipolar world. Both World Bank and IMF have downgraded global growth. Malaysia too. Sabah will be impacted. No escape. Good economic leadership can minimize these impacts. Give a Strong Madate to the next Government. A weak government will mean stagnant economy and lots of uncertainties. Worse, it will be subject to manipulations and instability. There may be more blackmails or attempts to overthrow of our government. Unlikely that a weak government can undertake or continue the economic transformation. Sabahans must give a strong mandate to the next government to solve all the perennial problems in Sabah, claims of MA63 rights from Federal Government and tackle global uncertainties. My Appeal to Leaders of all major Sabah Parties. Reduce fighting, focus your energy and plans on how you will manage Sabah's economy. Sabahans deserve better deals from the Federal Government, better lives, more job and investment opportunities and most of all a more secured future. We don't want leaders only good with empty promises. We need statesmen who are well versed in economic management and who can deliver a better future for all Sabahans. Last and most important, Sabah must have leaders who can stand tall with Federal leaders, maintain a respectful and collaborative relationship.

New cooperative act expected to be tabled in Parliament this December - sec-gen

The Sun

10 hours ago

The Sun

New cooperative act expected to be tabled in Parliament this December - sec-gen

BANGI: A new cooperative law to replace the current Cooperative Act 1993 (Act 502) is expected to be tabled in Parliament this December, said Ministry of Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives secretary-general Datuk Seri Khairul Dzaimee Daud. He said the ministry is introducing a new law to enable the cooperative movement to operate more effectively as a business entity and become a stronger driver of the national economy. 'Therefore, we are repealing the existing act and replacing it with a new one, which will be tabled in Parliament for the first reading in December,' he said. 'The 2026 Parliament session, scheduled for around March or April, is expected to see the second reading, with the aim of enforcing the new act by July next year,' he said during the opening of the ANGKASA-MINDA-UKM Cooperative Empowerment Forum here today. Previously, Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Minister Datuk Ewon Benedick said that his ministry was drafting the new cooperative act to replace Act 502. The Cabinet paper on the matter was presented and approved in principle on Jan 8. Khairul Dzaimee added that the ministry is actively engaging with state governments and stakeholders to ensure the new law is properly implemented in the best interests of cooperatives. He also said that the new cooperative law aims to create more responsive and dynamic cooperatives, facilitate cooperative businesses, enhance the well-being of the community, and improve cooperative governance. 'The main essence of this new act is to liberalise the cooperative movement by reducing excessive monitoring, previously focused heavily on legislation, and giving cooperatives more space to operate as business entities,' he said. Meanwhile, Angkatan Koperasi Kebangsaan Malaysia Berhad (ANGKASA) president Datuk Seri Abdul Fattah Abdullah expressed support for the government's efforts to enhance the cooperative ecosystem in the country. 'We want to make cooperatives a culture among Malaysians by 2050. ANGKASA (also) strongly supports the government's efforts to liberalise the laws and regulations that are being made and improve the (cooperative) ecosystem,' he said. Also present were Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) deputy vice-chancellor (Academic and International Affairs) Prof Dr Abdul Halim Abdul Gafor and the Malaysian Inclusive, Development and Advancement Institute (MINDA-UKM) director Prof Tan Sri Dr Noor Azlan Ghazali.

New Cooperative Law Set for Parliament in December