KOTA KINABALU, Jan 2 – Former Inland Revenue Board (IRB) chief executive officer Datuk Seri Dr Sabin Samitah has been appointed the Kota Kinabalu City Hall (DBKK) Mayor.
The Sabah Chief Minister’s Department, in a statement, stated that Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor handed over the appointment letter to Sabin, 63, in a brief ceremony at Menara Kinabalu today.
Also present at the ceremony were Sabah Entrepreneurship and Industrial Development Minister Datuk Phoong Jin Zhe, Assistant Minister to the Chief Minister Datuk Abidin Madingkir, and Sabah State Secretary Datuk Safar Untong.
Sabin, who is from Ranau, replaced Datuk Noorliza Awang Alip as the seventh Mayor of DBKK.
Among the posts he held before included as Director-General of the Anti-Financial Crime Center in the Prime Minister’s Department.
Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister II Datuk Seri Dr Joachim Gunsalam, in a separate statement, said the Penampang District Council will be upgraded to a municipal council.
Dr Joachim, who is also Minister of Local Government and Housing, said the transition period, which began today, was important to ensure a smooth administrative change.
“As such, it is hoped that the staff of the Penampang District Council will implement efficient and high-integrity governance. This includes improving services by developing the economy and finding new sources of revenue for the local authority,” he said.
