Pointing out that last year’s RM5.4 billion in revenue was itself a record, he said the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) ruling coalition, which he formed in 2020, had outperformed the previous Warisan and Barisan Nasional state governments.

“Prior to this, the highest revenue ever recorded was RM4.5 billion under the leadership of chief minister Musa Aman in 2014,” he was quoted as saying by the Daily Express.

“With the record income, I pledge to manage the funds properly for the development and benefit of the people of Sabah,” he added during a dinner with the Chinese community in Tuaran.

Hajiji said the state’s higher revenue was also an indication of the effectiveness of Sabah’s five-year Sabah Maju Jaya roadmap, a strategic development plan which he launched in March 2021.

Stating that Sabah had managed to attract numerous foreign investors, he added that the factories and plants they established would lead to more jobs for Sabahans.

The Daily Express report also said Hajiji had instructed the finance ministry to allocate RM54 million to Chinese schools, missionary schools and non-Muslim organisations in Sabah next year.

Hajiji said this would be the highest-ever such allocation, with the previous amounts at between RM20 million and RM25 million annually.