KOTA KINABALU, April 13 — The state government will utilise its remaining term before the next state election to solve critical issues faced by the people, said Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor.

Hajiji said even though the state government decides when the polls will be held, he himself does not know when.

“However, the present state government’s term will end in September next year, and we still have a lot of work to be carried out, specifically in resolving problems currently faced by the people such as water issues.

“Even though these water issues are not new and were inherited from the previous state government, as a responsible ruling government, we have the responsibility to resolve them.

“Now that we have received the RM300 million allocation to implement several projects to solve water issues, we hope that the distribution of water to Kota Kinabalu and other districts can be smoother once the projects are completed.

“InsyaAllah, within this year, we can solve the implementation of these water projects,” he told reporters at a Hari Raya Aidilfitri open house hosted by him and his wife, Datuk Juliah Salag at Dewan Sri Sulaman in Tuaran today.

As for whether more cloud seeding operations will be carried out in the state, Hajiji, who is also Sulaman assemblyman, said it will depend on the related agencies and departments to evaluate according to current situations as the clouds chosen for such operations will also have to be suitable, and he will leave it to experts to decide.

However, he said in their plans, if the state continues to face drought seasons, then more cloud seeding operations will be implemented.

“Thankfully, in these past couple of days before Hari Raya Aidilfitri, it has been raining in several areas in the state, especially in the West Coast, and I think there are even districts which have received excess rainfall which can alleviate related issues in the respective areas,” he said.

On the high flight ticket prices for Sabahan students in the Peninsular wishing to head back to the state to celebrate the Raya festivity, Hajiji said the state government has channeled the RM600 one-off flight ticket subsidy to a majority of them.

For other Sabahan students in the Peninsular who are not under the sponsorship of the state government or Yayasan Sabah or other government agencies, he said the government is in the process of providing the students the said assistance which they are entitled to and can apply for.

Some 10,000 people attended the open house who were entertained by local artistes and a special perfomance by Datuk Jamal Abdillah.

Among those in attendance were Speaker Datuk Seri Kadzim Yahya, Deputy Chief Ministers Datuk Seri Jeffrey Kitingan and Datuk Seri Joachim Gunsalam and Datuk Shahelmey Yahya, state cabinet ministers as well as elected representatives. — The Borneo Post

https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2024/04/13/cm-sabah-govt-to-resolve-problems-before-state-election/128673