Focus on Transport Sector : Noor

Daily Express 16/06/2008
Kota Kinabalu: The Prime Minister has issued a directive to the relevant Ministries to look into expanding the coverage or increasing the quota for transportation companies to buy subsidised fuel, said Second Finance Minister Tan Sri Mohamed Nor Yakcop.
He assured that the Government was focusing on the transportation sector following the recent fuel price hike.
He was asked to comment on grouses by transportation companies that not all of their vehicles are eligible to use the fleet card to purchase fuel at subsidised prices with some companies complaining only 30 to 40 per cent of their vehicles actually qualify.
Speaking after representing Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak at the launching of the Second International CEOs Conference (ICC2008) at Magellan Sutera here Monday, he said the rural transportation sector would be getting a big chunk in the Federal 2009 Budget.
Mohamed Nor said the Government was giving special attention to bringing development in terms of basic infrastructures and schools in rural areas like in Sabah and Sarawak.
"But, in order to achieve the aspiration of the Prime Minister (and) he has mentioned this several times that he does not want to see any abject poor incidence after year 2010," he said.
The goal, according Mohamed Nor was being tackled by building better roads in rural areas as well as urban areas where traffic jams are causing manpower losses.
To a question, he said the RM4.4 billion saved from the fuel subsidy cut was not the only money that could be used to improve the public transportation sector.
"It is only one of the ways É but for transportation we are taking it out from the Consolidated Fund. The RM4.4 billion is not that much really, we have about RM147 billion revenue annually and we are using this," he said.
"We have the political will at this moment É because the price of fuel has increased so the transportation sector is priority," he said.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Haji Aman in his welcoming speech said the ICC2008 followed the success of the inaugural conference in March 2005.
"I am pleased to share with you that the First International CEOs Conference three years ago had paved the way for several major investments in Sabah," said Musa who is also the organising chairman of ICC2008.
During the course of the conference, themed "Managing Sustainable Growth and Competitiveness in the Globalised Era", he was confident that the delegates would ponder and debate on how competition serves as the driving force of economic growth.
"Carefully designed policies on de-regulation, privatisation and trade liberalisation are important ingredients in enhancing competition," said Musa who is also State Finance Minister.
He said in order to ensure successful implementation initiatives aimed at improving competitiveness, there is a need to provide the appropriate incentives, adequate infrastructure and clear regulations in ensuring that competition would lead to efficiency and stimulate innovation.
The government on its part, he assured would continue to be business-friendly and responsive in dealing with the private sector and would keep on finding ways to create a conducive economic climate for businesses to flourish in Sabah.
"We also realise the importance of infrastructure as a tool to encourage competitiveness and growth," he said, reiterating that the State government through the Sabah Development Corridor (SDC) had set a priority in ensuring sustainable development through environmental conservation.