Hajiji presenting PANTAS land grants to representative of villagers during the Tongod District Kaamatan Festival 2026.
TONGOD: The State Government continues to prioritise the development of rural areas through the Sabah Maju Jaya (SMJ) Development Blueprint, including ensuring that Tongod is not left behind in the state’s progress.
Chief Minister, Hajiji Noor said that from last year until mid-this year, Tongod recorded a significant surge in infrastructure development, covering road networks, the economy, education as well as sustainable tourism potential.
He said the Government is committed to strengthening the road network linking Tongod with other districts such as Keningau, Telupid, Sandakan and Tawau to enhance mobility and stimulate downstream economic growth in the area.
“Tongod has vast land areas with strong potential for modern agricultural development. The State Government is also providing various incentives to support the transformation from subsistence farming to commercial agriculture, which can increase household incomes,” he said when officiating the Tongod District-level Kaamatan Festival 2026 at the Tongod People’s Square Open Hall here today.
Hajiji said the State Government is also placing strong emphasis on human capital development, particularly among the younger generation in rural areas, through major investments in education and skills training.
“We want the youths of Tongod to seize opportunities to further their studies, including in skills-based fields, as they are the future leaders of this state,” he said.
He added that Tongod is also rich in valuable natural assets, including the Imbak Canyon Conservation Area, which holds great potential to be developed as Sabah’s sustainable eco-tourism hub.
He said Tongod’s central geographical location positions it as “The Heart of Sabah”, linking the northern, southern, eastern and western regions of the state.
According to him, tourism development in Tongod must go hand in hand with efforts to preserve the authenticity of local cultures, including strengthening handicrafts, traditional foods and homestay programmes operated by the community.
“The harmony between development and environmental conservation is key to Tongod’s long-term economic sustainability,” he said.
Meanwhile, commenting on water supply issues faced by residents, Hajiji said the matter will be addressed using allocations channelled by the Ministry of Rural and Regional Development (KKDW) to the State Government for the implementation of the Rural Water Supply (BALB) projects.
He said implementation authority for the projects has been devolved to the State Government, with more than RM4 billion allocated by KKDW this year for the purpose.
“Last April, the Federal Government through the Ministry of Rural and Regional Development delegated authority to the State Government to implement water supply projects with an allocation exceeding RM4 billion, and I hope Tongod will also benefit.
“This is what we have consistently discussed with the Federal Government. When we engage in a respectful and constructive manner, many matters previously handled by the Federal Government or its agencies in Sabah have now been devolved to the state, including rural water supply in Tongod,” he said.
Hajiji stressed that the spirit of cooperation between the state and the Federal Government must continue without sidelining Sabah’s interests, while at the same time safeguarding national interests.
“We must not strain relations with the Federal Government in pursuing state rights. Instead, we must develop the nation together.
“Sabah is a founding state of Malaysia, so whatever we do must be done collectively to ensure Sabah continues to progress with Federal support,” he said.
He added that even as Sabah’s revenue is expected to increase in the future, including through the 40 per cent net revenue entitlement, the state will still require Federal cooperation to continue advancing as a developed state.
On the Kaamatan celebration, Hajiji emphasised that the festival not only symbolises gratitude for the harvest, but also serves as an important platform to strengthen unity and harmony among Sabah’s multi-ethnic communities, in line with the theme “Harvesting Unity, Celebrating Harmony”.
Meanwhile, when asked about the proposed development of a new Tongod township, he said the project will be undertaken by a private company on its own land.
“A private company will develop the new Tongod township, including the construction of government offices. We welcome collaboration between the private sector and the Government, and with the support of local representatives, this initiative is expected to be realised in the near future,” he said.
At the event, the Chief Minister also presented 239 Native Title (NT) land grants covering 583.38 hectares (1,441.57 acres) to Tongod residents.
Of the total, 199 grants covering 500.09 hectares (1,235.75 acres) were standard NT titles, while 40 draft PANTAS grants involving seven mukims covered 83.29 hectares (205.82 acres).
