Kota kinabalu: Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor emphasizes the importance of the Sabah Maju Jaya (SMJ) fellowship programme in cultivating young leaders focused on the community’s needs and contributing directly to the state’s development. The initiative, introduced by the Sabah government, aims to empower the youth to actively participate in the state’s development ecosystem.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Hajiji highlighted that the SMJ fellowship programme serves as a crucial platform for young individuals to gain experience and develop essential leadership traits such as character, integrity, and exemplary conduct. Speaking at the presentation ceremony of appointment letters to 42 participants of the SMJ Fellows 4.0 programme at Menara Kinabalu, Hajiji reiterated the programme’s alignment with the state government’s commitment under the Sabah Maju Jaya Development Plan framework, which prioritizes human capital development as a key driver for a sustainable and competitive future.
Hajiji expressed the need for leaders who excel not only in knowledge and skills but also in their ability to connect with the community, bringing the people’s voices to the policymaking table while prioritizing the state’s interests. He urged SMJ fellows to leverage the fellowship period to understand the state government’s operations, including policy formulation, decision-making, and the functioning of government machinery for the public’s benefit.
He advised the fellows to focus on building discipline, empathy, vision, and courage, with integrity as a central tenet. Hajiji emphasized that Sabah’s youth are not only successors but also vital assets and heirs to the future, currently being shaped through such initiatives.
Additionally, Hajiji acknowledged the role of government-linked companies (GLCs) in the SMJ fellowship programme, commending their continued commitment and support in developing Sabah’s human capital. The participation of 20 GLCs this year, an increase from 10 previously, underscores the strong partnership between the state government and GLCs in nurturing the state’s future leaders.