SABAH PMR 2025 A BOON FOR TAWAU, BRINGING ECONOMIC BLESSINGS TO LOCALS

TAWAU, May 17 (Bernama) -- The three-day Sabah MADANI Rakyat Programme (PMR) 2025, held at the Tawau Municipal Council Square and concluded on May 11, proved to be a significant boost for the local community.

The organisation of Sabah PMR 2025 not only benefited visitors attending the programme but also provided a positive economic boost to local industry players, including those in the accommodation, transportation, food and beverage sectors, as well as dried seafood vendors.

Homestay operator Siti Fatima Hari, 55, said that three houses owned by her family, one in Taman Muhibbah Jaya and two in Taman Semarak Indah, were fully booked for a week at a rate of RM300 per night.

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“Bookings were made a month in advance, and my guests came from Kota Kinabalu, Putrajaya, and Kuala Lumpur. They arrived two days before the PMR event to make early preparations for the programme.

“Although my homestays were fully booked, I continued to receive numerous inquiries. I politely declined and referred them to friends who also run homestays. I received more than 10 calls asking about availability during that period,” she told Bernama.

Another homestay entrepreneur, Rosa Belle Edward, 48, from Taman Ria Heights, said her two-storey accommodation with four rooms, which she has been operating for the past two years, was rented out at RM300 per night for a week to government employees from Kuala Lumpur who were involved in the PMR.

“From what they told me, most hotels in Tawau were fully booked for the PMR event, even though they had made their reservation with me a month before the programme date,” she said.

“I am grateful that this government-led programme for the people has opened up income opportunities for me and the local community. Many have also rented vehicles for their convenience in travelling around the town,” she said.

For Rosnani Mukbar, 53, a food stall trader near the Tawau Municipal Council Square, food sales also increased during the PMR event. One of her featured items was nasi kuning daun pisang (yellow rice wrapped in banana leaves), sold at RM6 per packet.

“If nasi lemak is considered a must-have breakfast dish in Peninsular Malaysia, then here, breakfast is incomplete without nasi kuning. Besides chicken, the main menu features nasi kuning served with fish, either tulai or kerisi,” she explained.

“I made double the profit during the PMR, earning more than on normal days. Besides nasi kuning, I also sold a variety of dishes including nasi ayam penyet, mee tofu, and snacks such as curry puffs and seri muka,” she said.

Hawker Suhardi Lamiding, 38, who has been selling pisang goreng and beverages for the past year behind the Tawau Municipal Council, also experienced increased profits, earning over RM100 a day during the PMR event.

He said that on normal days, he and his wife earn only about RM50 in sales daily. He described the atmosphere at eateries and food stalls in the area as lively during the PMR event, thanks to the influx of visitors.

Meanwhile, car rental operator Samsudin Kahar said six of his cars were rented out for a week, with daily rental rates ranging from RM60 to RM200.

“They were involved with the PMR programme, renting vehicles such as Bezza, Saga, and even Hilux to transport large quantities of goods,” he said.

“I am grateful for this rezeki (sustenance). Not only were the hotels fully booked, but transportation rentals also did very well thanks to Sabah PMR 2025,” he said, adding that he hoped more programmes like this would be brought to Tawau to further promote the district.

In addition, the Tanjung Tawau market, renowned for its dried seafood products and traditional foods, became a popular destination following the conclusion of the PMR event.

For dried seafood trader Samsudin Hape, 60, the day after the programme ended, many buyers from Kuala Lumpur, who had worked at the PMR event, came to his stall to purchase anchovies, fish crackers, salted fish and dried squid.

“I remember that day, I sold nearly 30 kilogrammes of ikan bilis mata biru (blue-eyed anchovies) at RM40 per kilogramme, and dried squid at RM55 per kilogramme. I’m truly grateful that a government programme was held in Tawau, as we too benefited from it,” he said.

On May 11, Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Minister Datuk Ewon Benedick reportedly said that Sabah PMR 2025 had successfully met its objectives, with over 150,000 visitors benefiting from 36 booths and more than 200 public services offered by ministries, government agencies, and private sector participants throughout the event.

-- BERNAMA