The Prime Minister said the Federal government was doing its part by contributing some RM100mil for the survey of NCR land in Sarawak and Sabah.
“This is being done, it is work in progress and the results will come,” he said at a meet-the-people session here on Friday.
Najib was in Sarawak’s northernmost bordering Sabah’s Sipitang district to muster up support for Barisan Nasional’s Ba’Kelalan candidate Willie Liau who taking on PKR incumbent Baru Bian.
Present were PBB vice president Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hassan, the Barisan Nasional candidate for the Bukit Sari seat in Lawas who won the seat uncontested.
Najib said the opposition, including Baru, could no longer harp on the NCR land issue as it was being resolved by the ruling Barisan. Some 730,000ha of such land had been surveyed so far.
"This is what happens when there is a close working relationship between state and the Federal government. We get things done,” he added.
He said Tan Sri Adenan Satem had proven his mettle as Chief Minister by successfully implementing 53 policies in just two years into the post.
On the other hand, the opposition was a fractious lot bent on serving their own interests only, he added.
He said the RM16bil Pan Borneo highway linking Sarawak and Sabah would benefit Lawas as it would be stopover for travellers between both states as well as Brunei.
Najib said Malaysia was also negotiating with Brunei to simplify the entry and exit procedures for Malaysians travelling between both states without having to go through Brunei.
“We know that Malaysians will have to have their passports stamped eight times and we are working with Brunei to simplify this,” he added.
The Prime Minister said the construction of the dual lane highway was another example of how much priority he had placed in seeing the development of both states.
“Sarawak and Sabah are important. I have visited Sarawak 51 times, that is more than a predecessor who was Prime Minister for 22 years,” Najib said to the loud applause of the 3,000 people present.
He said Sarawak and Sabah was also important to him personally as both states are the best example of the 1Malaysia concept.
"Here people of all religions and races can sit side by side with no qualms,” Najib said adding that the government would continue to guarantee freedom of all communities to practice their religious beliefs.
“We are fair to all. But if there are any issues, we can sit down and discuss,” the Prime Minister added.
On the proposed new airport for Lawas, Najib said the project would be undertaken under the 11th Malaysia Plan.
Earlier, Awang Tengah said a new airport for the district was needed as the present one located about 2km from town tend to flood and part of the area was facing erosion problems.
Noting that the present airport could only accommodate the 19-seater Twin Otter aircraft, he said the new facility should allow the larger ATR72-500 to operate.
“This would not only benefit the people of Lawas but also Sipitang and Beaufort in Sabah as well,” he added.
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