SEMPORNA: A comprehensive development plan, including the upgrading of existing facilities, is needed to position Semporna as a premier tourism destination while unlocking its potential in the blue economy sector.
Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor said the district holds a unique advantage with world-renowned attractions such as Sipadan Island, as well as other islands that continue to draw visitors from around the globe.
He said Semporna also possesses strong fisheries and marine resources that can be further expanded through the development of the blue economy sector, which is expected to generate significant returns for both the people and the state.
“Semporna is not only about tourism. Its fisheries and marine resources are equally impressive. Based on the district briefing, there are sound long-term plans for Semporna, including efforts to maintain cleanliness and improve facilities such as jetties on the islands and other infrastructure.
“All these plans will be looked at comprehensively to ensure Semporna becomes a leading tourism district, especially with the international appeal of Sipadan Island and its surrounding islands,” he told reporters after attending a district development briefing during his visit to Mataking Island on Thursday.
The visit was part of the Chief Minister’s security inspection programme in the Eastern Sabah Security Zone (ESS Zone), which began in Sandakan on Tuesday, continued in Lahad Datu on Wednesday, and concluded in Semporna on Thursday.
Hajiji said that if properly preserved, Semporna’s tourism sector could become an invaluable asset not only for Sabah but for Malaysia as a whole.
“We must do our best to further improve facilities and meet the needs of the district in line with tourism development in Semporna, as well as in Lahad Datu and Sandakan,” he said.
On the blue economy, Hajiji said the sector has been identified under the Sabah Maju Jaya (SMJ) 2.0 roadmap as part of efforts to increase state revenue.
“We will explore blue economy resources over the next five years and hopefully this will become an economic activity capable of boosting state revenue and benefiting local communities,” he said.
Earlier, Hajiji said his visit to the island clusters around Semporna, as well as Sandakan and Lahad Datu, was aimed at assessing security conditions, particularly on islands along Sabah’s east coast.
He said the programme also enabled him to inspect security control posts on the islands and receive briefings on development plans for the three districts visited during the tour.
During the Semporna programme, Hajiji also visited Sipadan Island and received a briefing from Sabah Parks on developments at the island, before officiating the groundbreaking ceremony for a security post on Ligitan Island.
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