‘Let local entrepreneurs manage Sabah Trade Centre’
KOTA KINABALU: A local bumiputra management company is urging the Ministry of Industrial Development and Entrepreneurs (MIDE) to allow local entrepreneurs to manage the Sabah Trade Centre (STC).
MB Managers & Consultants (MBMC) owner and general manager, Mohd Iskandar Shah Ali said that MBMC made a proposal to the then MIDE minister, Datuk Dr Joachim Gunsalam in 2021 to manage STC with zero cost to the ministry.
He claimed that MBMC was allowed to organise events and rent out the spaces within the building and operate the car park to fund the management of the building.
Mohd Iskandar also claimed that the Finance Ministry also gave its support as this did not burden the State Government in terms of financial obligations.
“After managing the building for over a year and a half and successfully upgrading the conditions of the building and the surrounding area, a new minister, Datuk Phoong Jin Zhe, took over the ministry. MBMC waited for almost a year before being able to brief the new minister and his officers including the new Deputy Permanent Secretary, Hajah Myrna,” he said at a press conference outside the STC building on Wednesday.
He claimed that MBMC was made to believe that there were no objections to their position as an interim management company and would continue until such time as the State Cabinet approved the development of a building to replace the current STC.
He alleged that after the briefing, MBMC was given 72 hours to vacate the building.
“MBMC didn’t believe this was physically possible as over a year’s worth of equipment and materials had been invested into the building and car park,” Mohd Iskandar said.
He also claimed that the building’s power and water supply were also disconnected, and the entrance has been boarded up and chained, making it impossible for MBMC and its working partners to gain access to their equipment, materials and tools which were inside the building.
Mohd Iskandar claimed that the excuse given for MBMC to vacate was the building’s lack of occupation certificate (OC).
He also alleged many events have been successfully organised at STC in the past without any untoward incidents.
“MBMC was working together with around 16 local companies in various capacities and over 20 food stall hawkers in the parking lot trying to earn an honest wage without putting any burden on the State Government,” he said.
He also added that MBMC’s presence at STC over the past year and a half had also helped to control electricity, property and water theft from the building.
“The general maintenance, upkeep and solar lights installed helped reduce night time vices in the parking lot, chase away drug users and improve the general aesthetics of the building and surrounding area. MBMC was even able to get the Pillars of Sabah artist group to paint a mural on the wall further improving the look of the building,” he said.
He added prior to that, the building and its surrounding area had been left in a sorry state.
“MBMC is asking for the state government led by Datuk Seri Panglima Hajiji Noor to resolve this issue as around 40 entrepreneurs and over 100 individuals are benefiting from the use of the STC and now everything is grinding to a full stop for them. These are the people who need to feel the changes in our state and truly understand the government’s motto of ‘Sabah Maju Jaya’ and help themselves to improve their livelihood for themselves and their families.”