Hajiji (third right) receiving a memento from Political Secretary to the Chief Minister Datuk Dr Roland Chia during the Chinese New Year open house.
KOTA KINABALU (Feb 9): Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor has called on government officials and departments to take immediate action to address road safety issues following the tragic death of a motorcyclist who hit a pothole on the Lido flyover.
Hajiji described the incident, which occurred on February 3 and claimed the life of a 30-year-old man, as deeply regrettable. He emphasized the need for proactive measures to prevent similar accidents in the future.
“We have instructed relevant officers and departments to treat this matter seriously and resolve such issues promptly. Roads with potholes must not be left unattended, as they pose a danger to the public. We do not want such accidents to happen again,” Hajiji said during a press conference after officiating the Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah (Gagasan Rakyat) Inanam division Chinese New Year Open House near Menggatal on Sunday.
The motorcyclist was thrown six metres upon hitting the pothole and later succumbed to his injuries at Queen Elizabeth Hospital.
Hajiji stressed the importance of maintaining road infrastructure to ensure public safety.
Works Minister Datuk Shahelmey Yahya on Saturday ordered the Public Works Department and road concessionaires in Sabah to take proactive and aggressive measures to address the persistent pothole problems across the state.
He emphasized the need for immediate action, advising the use of coal mix to patch up potholes. He attributed the frequent formation of potholes to heavy rainfall, which exacerbates road damage.
On a separate matter, Hajiji addressed plans by former Sabah Mineral Management Sdn Bhd (SMM) CEO Jontih Enggihon to take legal action against him and 20 others over alleged corruption in mining licence applications.
Hajiji stated that he would leave the matter to the authorities to investigate.
“As Chief Minister, my priority is to ensure the needs of the state and its people are met. Let the authorities handle the investigations and take appropriate action,” he said.
It was recently reported that Jontih plans to bring Hajiji and 20 other people involved in a corruption scandal regarding mining licence applications in Sabah to court, according to his lawyer Chin Tek Ming on February 8.
Hajiji also commented on the harmony among Sabah’s diverse communities, stating that there is no need for specific guidelines for Muslims attending non-Muslim events.
He highlighted the state’s long-standing tradition of tolerance and understanding.
“What is important for us Muslims is our ‘akidah’ (faith). I studied in a mission school and have paid respects in churches. Let us focus on maintaining harmony and familial love, rather than relying on rules that may not be relevant to our context,” he added.
The Federal Cabinet has rejected the implementation of the proposed guidelines for Muslims attending events at non-Muslim places of worship.
On Feb 5, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Dr Mohd Na’im Mokhtar said the Malaysian Islamic Development Department was finalising guidelines on Muslims’ participation in events at non-Islamic places of worship.
Na’im said the guidelines would ensure that Muslims at these events did not perform actions that could offend Muslim sensitivities.
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