Chief Minister Shafie Apdal said agencies should implement these programmes with the aim of boosting their performance from time to time.

“Statutory bodies which have commercial potential must seek new approaches to set a value and price to their services and develop core businesses which can generate income to finance socio-economic activities.

“Government agencies must also explore strategic co-operation potential among themselves and avoid competition with one another or venture into overlapping sectors,” said Shafie, who is also state finance minister.

He said this in his speech which was read by state assistant finance minister Kenny Chua at the launch of a course for the boards of directors of state statutory bodies and government agencies in Sabah.

The chief minister said the time had come for all state government agencies to look at the potential outside Sabah especially in neighbouring states and countries.

“For example, government agencies must think of the potential that can be reaped following the proposal to relocate the capital of Indonesia from Jakarta to Kalimantan,” he said.