NAJIB Razak said today he would continue to focus on development in Sabah to ensure it progresses in tandem with the other states in the country.

The prime minister said he held to the principle of justice in terms of distribution of national development so all areas, from Sabah to Perlis, enjoyed progress and development accordingly.

“I know this is the value of the people of Sabah who together helped to establish Malaysia. When the people of Sabah decided to come together to form Malaysia, we must guarantee the decision is reciprocated with a good future for all of us.

“I was taken to the house of OKK Sodomon (an independence fighter) in Keningau. It was at his house my late father (Abdul Razak Hussein) met the Kadazandusun leaders to convince them to be a part of Malaysia,” he said when opening the 32nd annual delegate’s conference of Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) in Penampang.

Najib said it was his responsibility to translate that decision and the aspirations of the people into a good future for the people of Sabah.

Sabah Chief Minister Musa Aman, Deputy Chief Minister and PBS president Joseph Pairin Kitingan; Energy, Green Technology and Water Minister and PBS deputy president Dr Maximus Ongkili and leaders of other Barisan Nasional component parties attended the event.

Najib, who is BN chairman, said the national budgets were so comprehensive they would reduce and eliminate the development gap among Sabah, Sarawak and the peninsula one day.

Budget 2018 provided large allocations to Sabah and Sarawak and received overwhelming response from the people, he said, adding he had to do this because a previous prime minister who had administered for 22 years did not do so.

Najib said in Budget 2018, the federal government allocated RM2 billion for construction of the toll-free Pan Borneo Highway and RM1 billion to renovate dilapidated schools in Sabah under the Industrialised Building System to provide good educational infrastructure.

He said through good educational facilities, the people of Sabah, who had high potential for progress, can excel in education, thus generating academically qualified and skilful people to lead the government administration in the state.

Budget 2018 also allocated for Sabah and Sarawak RM500 million for construction of rural roads, RM600 million for electricity supply and RM300 for clean water supply, he said, adding it was hoped the money would be spent without any leakage.

Speaking to reporters later, Najib said the federal government had agreed to approve a facilitation fund of RM500 million for the development of eco-tourism projects in Tanjung Aru as additional tourist attractions. – Bernama, November 18, 2017.