PAPAR – Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor has hinted that the Sabah State Legislative Assembly (DUN) may be dissolved in the near future, but declined to reveal the exact date.
Responding to questions from reporters, he joked that members of the media still had the chance to take a holiday within the next one to two weeks before any announcement is made.
“Dissolution is still a while away… you can still take a holiday for another one or two weeks,” he said after officiating the groundbreaking ceremony for the Sabah Regional Akademi Binaan Malaysia (ABM) campus construction project at its site in Kampung Beringgis on Saturday.
When asked whether the dissolution would take place after Malaysia Day celebrations, he once again told reporters to wait for the official announcement.
“Just wait… wait until I call you three (reporters),” he quipped.
Earlier, Sabah State Assembly Speaker Datuk Seri Kadzim M Yahya had informed that the assembly will automatically dissolve on November 11 in line with the provisions of the State Constitution.
Meanwhile, in his speech at the event, Hajiji said the construction of the 13-hectare ABM campus would become a key driver in empowering Sabah youths in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), particularly in the construction sector.
He added that the high-tech facilities at the new campus are expected to accommodate up to 700 trainees at a time, increasing youth training capacity by 73 percent and construction personnel by 39 percent compared to the temporary ABM campus in Kayu Madang, Kota Kinabalu.
“Today we are opening a new chapter for Sabah. This campus will produce a highly skilled workforce, polish the talents of young people, enhance their competitiveness in the job market, and serve as the TVET Construction hub for East Malaysia,” he said.
He said the initiative is in line with the Hala Tuju Sabah Maju Jaya roadmap, which emphasises infrastructure and human capital development as pillars of the state’s economic growth.
He noted that the establishment of the Sabah State TVET Council (MTS) in May reflected the state government’s commitment to coordinating more than 160 TVET training institutions in Sabah to meet current industry needs.