KOTA KINABALU: The government will implement direct intervention measures to eradicate hardcore poor in 10 of the districts with the highest poverty rates in the country, eight of which are in Sabah, under the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP).
Economic Affairs Minister Rafizi Ramli said the measures include developing sustainable economic activities that will enable residents to generate incomes and to raise them from the hardcore poverty level.
He also stressed that efforts to eradicate hardcore poverty should not be fully dependent on transfers of cash every month from government departments or agencies.
“Obviously the 13MP will focus on districts with hardcore poor, especially eight districts in Sabah, we have our new framework according to districts, we focus on generating incomes for residents.
“Previously, a large part of the macro approach (to eradicate poverty) did not differentiate between poorest districts and others. For 13MP, we have a specific strategy to directly intervene in the poorest districts,” he said at a media conference after attending a 13MP engagement session with the Sabah state government, which was also attended by Deputy Chief Minister III Datuk Shahelmey Yahya representing Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor.
The eight poorest districts in Sabah are Tongod, Beluran, Pitas, Kinabatangan, Kota Marudu, Tuaran, Ranau and Lahad Datu, while two other hardcore poor districts in the country are Pusa, Sarawak and Lojing, Kelantan.
Meanwhile, Hajiji said in a prepared text read by Shahelmey that the state government wants the federal government to prioritise basic infrastructure development and utilities in the state under 13MP.
“The preparation of basic utilities such as clean water supply and complete electricity supply, especially in rural areas, are important aspects in efforts to raise the people’s standard of living, in addition to stimulating various activities such as economic growth and investment,” he said.
He also added that the significant development gap between urban and rural areas in Sabah was a challenge that needed to be overcome collectively under 13MP.
“The state government believes that balanced development is key to our society’s prosperity. This is in line with the state government’s aspiration to ensure that everyone, no matter their geographic location, can enjoy benefits from development,” he added.
