Hajiji: Women’s Welfare Central to Sabah’s Development

1 September 2025

TUARAN: Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Hajiji Noor has reaffirmed that women’s welfare remains a priority, recognising their crucial role in the state’s development.

“We appreciate the role of women, and we do not forget their welfare,” he said during the presentation of kitchen appliances to around 1,000 housewives in Sulaman at the Bajausamah Cultural Centre in Lok Batik today.

Hajiji, who is also the N12 Sulaman Assemblyman, said the well-being of the people, including women, forms a key pillar of the Hala Tuju Sabah Maju Jaya (SMJ) development plan. He expressed confidence in continued women’s support, particularly in Sulaman, which he said would be decisive in ensuring a Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) victory in the upcoming state election.

Taking aim at opposition claims that GRS is a failed government, Hajiji recalled the challenges of assuming leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic. “When I took over, Sabah, like the rest of the world, faced a grim situation. The political landscape was volatile, and I myself was infected with COVID-19. For two months, I could not meet officials or attend the office. But even in those difficult times, with resolve, we launched the Hala Tuju SMJ to drive the state forward,” he said.

He stressed that the plan had revived Sabah’s economy, badly hit by the pandemic. More than four years on, he said, the results are evident. Since then, the state government has rolled out numerous initiatives to uplift the people’s socio-economic status.

Among them are the SYUKUR programme, which provides RM300 monthly assistance to about 100,000 poor and hardcore poor Sabahans on the e-Kasih list for a year, and the Rumah Mesra SMJ scheme, offering free housing to those in need.

Hajiji said that, in terms of welfare aid, RM1.4 billion has been spent to support 70,000 recipients, while RM1.33 billion has been channelled into education under human capital development programmes.

“Being able to help the people is a great source of satisfaction for the GRS government,” he said, adding that with the continued support of the people, he was confident of retaining the Sulaman seat in the coming election.