KOTA KINABALU: Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Haji Hajiji Haji Noor has called on surveyors to work together with all players in the industry to find a way to lower property and construction cost in Sabah.
“I note that surveyors have been contributing enormously to the development of Sabah, especially in the property and construction industry.
“I encourage you to work closely all the industry players to find solutions to create a more efficient housing supply chain and delivery system in order to lower the cost of construction and property prices to benefit the lower income earners,” he said at the Seventh International Surveyors Congress at Magellan Sutera here today.
The text of his speech was read by Industrial Development and Entrepreneurship Minister Phoong Jin Zhe.
Hajiji said the government would work to ensure more affordable housing for the people in the state.
In this respect, he urged the Royal Institution of Surveyors Malaysia (RISM) Sabah Branch, being versed in land administration and development planning, to take up the challenge of formulating a sustainable and affordable housing policy, to complement the government’s efforts in this area.
“My goal as the Chief Minister of Sabah is not only to steer our development path that outlines our aspirations and strategies for the upcoming years but also to foster a Sabah that’s united, prosperous, and inclusive.
“Achieving this vision requires the combined efforts of all,” he said.
The Chief Minister also said the theme for this year’s RISM Congress “Navigating the Future: Embracing Change and Transformation” was apt in a world where the only certainty was change.
“In this fast-changing world, we cannot afford to be complacent. The way forward is for us to remain competitive, embrace change and transformation to navigate the future.
“And, I am certain, RISM has the capacity to lead this with your expertise and resources,” he added.
According to Hajiji, the world would not remain static and that change was inevitable with many new discoveries leading to technology advancement and innovations.
“Most of these changes will have an impact in changing living lifestyle, modulating personal tastes and preferences, enhancing the living standard of the demography and the way everyone works.
“Hence, in order to survive in a fiercely competitive business environment, we must learn, adapt, improve and change so that we can tackle the challenges facing us and capitalise the opportunities that come our way,” he said.
The Chief Minister meanwhile said the Congress was an excellent platform for surveyors to discuss challenges and opportunities in surveying meaningfully.
“Use this opportunity to learn from the learned speakers through their wealth of knowledge and business strategies to adopt innovative solutions and insights,” he said.
