Poverty in Sabah, an Illusion?

THE fact that Sabah is still one of the poorest state in Malaysia cannot be denied by the Sabah State Government. No matter how the State Government refuted this status, it remains a fact that Sabah still has the most poor people in Malaysia, and not just poor, but hard core poor.

The revelation of the destitute family of widow Rosnia @ Annie Marambal brings to light the tip of the iceberg of the poverty situation in the State. And more disturbing is the acknowledgement by the Kota Marudu Member of Parliament YB Datuk Dr Maximus Ongkili that there are over 2,000 hardcore poor households in Kota Marudu according to the e-Kasih statistics.

According to Maximus, who is also the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, the government is trying to resolve the problem under the National Key Results Area (NKRA) and he hopes to take Kota Marudu out of poverty within the next five years.

We hope the Government can be more concerted in the poverty eradication program. So much money has been allocated and spent over the 8th and the 9th Malaysia Plan but we still get reports of abject poverty in the State.

There has been so many good reports and revelation by the media on poverty related cases in the past years: the many social visits by NGOs, and even a visit by the Crotian Ambassador to Kampung Morion in Kota Marudu.

The Kota Marudu MP should appreciate the contributions by the various sectors of society who show concerns in his constituency. Even Rosnia was quoted as saying that if not for the media help, she would not be getting all the attention when the relevant authorities entrusted with poverty eradication efforts failed. After the recent media reporting, Rosnia was registered under the e-Kasih programme.

"The plea of Rosnia and her family revealed that the delivery system is not reaching the people who most needed help! Which also means that the billions of dollars spent may not be reaching the target group. And Rosnia and few others reported in the media are just the few who get reported but there are still so many who are not reported but in equivalent destitute condition. What about our youths from the northern region who have to go and find work in KL and some even got stranded!," lamented Melanie.

The least the Kota Marudu MP could do is to appreciate the contributions by the civil society and all quarters in helping and heeding to the pleas of the needy. Perhaps he could also help to ensure that there is a greater degree of efficiency and accountability of the public spending.

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Dusuns poorest of all in Sabah, P'ment told

KUALA LUMPUR, April 30, 2011: Dusuns form the majority of the poor and hardcore poor in Sabah with 7,715 poor and 1,149 hardcore poor, follower by Orang Sungai (3,075 and 290) and Murut (3,063 and 284), Paliament was told.

ln Sarawak, Ibans form the highest number (11,305 and 411) followed by Malays (3,520 and 113) and Bidayuh (2,284 and 84) Statistics show 28,657 residents in the Poor Category in Sabah and 21.899 in Sarawak. In the hardcore poor Category. there were 2,544 and 1,113 in Sabah and Sarawak, respectively.

Datuk Chua Soon Bui (SAPP-Tawau) had asked the Government to list the native according to poor and hardcore poor and what plans it has to help them.

A representative of the PM’s Department said the Government through the LIH NKRA (Low Income Household National Key Results Areas) headed by the Women. Family and Social Development Ministry and Rural and Federal Territory Development Ministry also had various projects and programmes.

Among the LIH NKRA programmes implemented under the Women, Family and Social Development Ministry were the 1Azam consisting of Azarm Tani (Agriculture), Azam Khidmat (Survice) Azam Niaga (Business) dan Azam Kerja(Employment).

The Ministry of Rural and Federal Territory Development also implemented programmes to help this group. 

He said channelling of Funds will be expedite so that they will reach Sabah and Sarawak even though there were remote isolated areas.

The Government will ensure that efforts in poverty eradication are fairly carried out through out the country without any discrimination, he said.

Chua called on the Ministry to give the natives a better and fairer deal on NCR Lands as the first step of not discriminating against them.

She cited the many NCR lands taken away from the natives as a very root cause of the high poverty rate amongst them.
 

Furthermore, the LIH NKRA programmes (Azams) must be implemented efficiently so that they could reach the tribes who genuinely deserve the help. 

Chua also asked about RM20 million allocation for the implementation of Native Customary Rights (NCR) projects/programmes in Sabah and Sarawak and whether the above has helped in pre-bumiputra developments in Sabah and Sarawak.

The representative replied that the allocation was meant for perimeter surveying of Native Customary Rights (NCR) lands in Sarawak to enable the issuance of land grants to the people and to develop the said lands by using a appropriate development model.

As on 22 March 2011, 28 target areas had completed the surveying work. involving s total of 20,703 hectares and a total expenditure of RM I2,394,261.56.
 

On steps taken in handling abuse and cheating cases involving the right of pre-bumiputras on NCR lands, the Minister said NCR Land Owners were often advised not to enter into any agreement with any other party without the knowledge of the Government.

As a result, the State Government of Sarawak through the Ministry of Land Development encouraged the NCR Land Owners to jointly develop their lands under the new model of NCR Land Development, and Government agencies like Land Culture & Development Authority (LCDA) could become a protector of the interest of the pribumis.