KOTA KINABALU: Newly-appointed Sandakan Municipal Council president Datuk Peter Hii hopes to revive the district's glory days and is prepared to be taken to task if he fails to deliver.

"If I fail to carry out my duties and responsibilities, do not manage to turn Sandakan into a booming or bring investments to our beloved town, then I am ready to be placed in a shooting range," he quipped.

The businessman said he is in a hurry to do so for the Sabah timber town that at one time was known as "Little Hong Kong".

Hii said he is already looking at plans to fast-track the development of the municipality that is in need of a strong economic base.

"Sandakan, despite being the home base of former chief minister Tan Sri Musa Aman, still suffers from sluggish economy," Hii said in a statement.

"The key role of the council is to facilitate investments with the help of the state government," he said.

"There are certain areas that I am looking at to create an environment for the development of industries that could boost our local economy," he said.

Hii's appointment has kicked up a storm among various people, including those from the opposition.

Describing the personal attacks against him as "nasty and uncalled for," he said it would not get in his way to bring changes to the council, which he hopes to be people- and business-oriented.

"For those criticising me rightly or wrongly, I would like to tell them I take it with an open mind. I bear no ill will, my focus is for Sandakan," he said.

"Do not judge me on my past, but do so at the end of my tenure," Hii said in thanking the Warisan state government for having trust in him.

Apart from that, Hii is looking at improving cleanliness in Sandakan, push for the much talked about airport runway extension (to allow bigger aircraft to land) to make Sandakan a choice tourist destination and develop downstream industries in seafood, oil palm and timber.

"I will listen to development proposals and with an advisory team, select the best for Sandakan," he said.