KOTA KINABALU: Various initiatives under the Hala Tuju Sabah Maju Jaya (SMJ) initiative are being implemented to create as many jobs as possible to lure Sabahans back to the state, says Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor.

       They include bringing investments to the Sipitang Oil and Gas Industrial Park (Sogip) and Kota Kinabalu Industrial Park (KKIP).

       With nearly an estimated 200,000 Sabahans currently working in Peninsular Malaysia, he said with more employment opportunities, hopefully the youth would no longer need to look for work in other places.

       “That is why the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah-Barisan Nasional (GRS-BN) state government is focused on creating an investor-friendly state to attract more investors.

       “I want to bring in investors so that we can create more job opportunities for our local youth,” he said during a breaking of fast event hosted by Sipitang Bersatu on Saturday.

       Hajiji said 10 major companies had signed memoranda of understanding to invest in Sogip, where investments worth billions of ringgit when materialised would benefit district folk via job opportunities and economic spin-offs.