KOTA KINABALU: There is opposition from two Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) leaders against the decision to redevelop the state-owned Sabah Trade Centre (STC) building. Usno president Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia and Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) president Datuk Seri Yong Teck Lee have raised questioning on the rationale for redevelopment.
Both Pandikar and Yong have argued that the absence of certification should not be an excuse to redevelop the 10,000 square metre double-storey building. They believe that some renovations would suffice for the building to be safe and usable. Moreover, they have expressed that it is not necessary for it to be redeveloped by private companies into a high-rise.
Pandikar, who is Sabah’s Special Envoy for the Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA), has written to Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor in support of using the building for the BIMP-EAGA office and trade exhibitions.
He expressed surprise when Sabah Industrial Development and Entrepreneurship Minister Datuk Phoong Jin Zhe talked about redeveloping STC. He also raised concerns about the short notice given to the interim management to vacate the building, which has affected local companies and food stall hawkers using the premises.
Yong was puzzled by Phoong’s statement about wanting to take back the STC land when it already belonged to the state. He believes that the STC should be repaired and renovated and not given to a private developer. Yong emphasized that STC is a dedicated exhibition centre.
Amid the growing controversy about redeveloping STC, Phoong said that his ministry welcomed any ideas or proposals on redeveloping STC. He explained that the decision to redevelop STC was not an overnight decision, as it was decided in the Sabah cabinet in 2023 due to the lack of activities at STC for 10 years.
He stressed that the decision to take back the land was not a sudden one, as it was discussed in the Cabinet in the previous year. Phoong also stated that the building is run down and there have been many complaints about its condition. Therefore, he believes taking back the land is the right decision.
