SPEECH BY CHIEF MINISTER OF SABAH, Y.A.B. DATUK SERI PANGLIMA MUSA HAJI AMAN, AT THE 37^TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION OF PERSATUAN KIN CHO HONG SABAH, AT OCEAN SEAFOOD VILLAGE RESTAURANT

KOTA KINABALU, ON 10^TH JUNE 2012

I am pleased to join the Sabah Kin Cho Hong in celebrating your 37^th Anniversary this evening. On behalf of the Sabah State Government, I congratulate you on your anniversary celebration. I was informed that you all are also celebrating the Lo Pan or “Chinese carpentry sifu” Festival to coincide with this Anniversary.

I wish to bid a warm welcome to Sabah to Kin Cho Hong members from all over Malaysia, and I hope you enjoy your stay here. Congratulations also to the organizer for successfully convening the 82^nd AGM of Kin Cho Hong Malaysia.

I take note that the Sabah Kin Cho Hong which has been in existence for close to four decades now, has contributed significantly towards Sabah’s growth. Many of your members have from the early days been involved in the construction industry, and a number of commercial and residential buildings in Sabah are the result of work done by your members. I urge you to continue playing your part in Sabah’s development.

Today, Malaysia is witnessing fast paced development and this is evident through the number of newer buildings and infrastructure, not just within major cities. The contribution of Kin Cho Hong Malaysia members in the building and construction industry is a complementary factor in the realization of such development. I would like to call on Kin Cho Hong Malaysia to work with the Government and other sectors of the economy in keeping up with the momentum of development in our efforts to achieve higher success in creating more economic activities and spin offs. The construction industry and those involved in it are regarded as an important asset in terms of contribution to nation building. Builders add value to the economy by transforming barren land into shopping centres, houses and other supporting infrastructure.

I would like to take this opportunity to stress to you the importance of the various State and Federal plans introduced to bring progress, to improve livelihoods and to bridge regional divide not only between Peninsular Malaysia and Sabah, but also within the State. The State Development Agenda or Halatuju that focuses on tourism, manufacturing and agriculture, has placed Sabah on a focused path towards economic diversification by leveraging on our strengths. In 2008, the Sabah Development Corridor (SDC) was introduced, and this was followed by newer plans such as the national Economic Transformation Programme (ETP) and the Government Transformation Programme (GTP). In order for Kin Cho Association to contribute positively within the context of economic diversification, your members must understand the reasons behind transformation plans and economic programmes introduced by the Government. I hope you take an active role in the development of these programmes, and I would also like to encourage you to share information with your members the essence of these plans and programmes.

One important role that the Kin Cho Association can play is to bridge the Government and construction sectors by communicating important information to both quarters. This Association, like others in the State, can provide timely feedback to the Government on issues that industry face, so that we are able to act when needed. Let me assure you that the Barisan Nasional Government is aware of matters that are raised, and we are constantly striving to find ways to facilitate the smooth running of the various industries in Malaysia including the construction industry. It is also in the Government’s best interest to ensure that the construction industry is able to flourish in order to stimulate economic growth and create jobs.

Like the rest of Malaysia, Sabah is developing at a quick pace. There are a number of high impact sectors such as oil and gas, and palm oil that are driving the local economy. Kin Cho Hong members from the other parts of Malaysia are also welcome to contribute to Sabah’s economy through investments or partnerships. Apart from new frontiers of development, namely in the oil and gas and palm oil sectors, Sabah is attractive due to political stability and geographical advantages within Southeast Asia and the greater Asia nations of China, South Korea and Japan. These factors will push Sabah to the next level in economic performance.

On this note, I wish to thank the Sabah Kin Cho Hong for this invitation, and I wish you all the best in your future undertakings. Congratulations once again on your 37^th Anniversary celebration.

Thank you.