KOTA KINABALU – Three of the eight poorest districts in Sabah will now be getting much-needed attention, pledged Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
According to Zahid – who is also rural and regional development minister – the focus will be on ridding Pitas, Kota Marudu, and Tongod of the “poorest district” label.
Talks will be held between his ministry, the federal finance and economy ministries, and the state government to formulate plans for this purpose, he said.
“The chief minister (Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor) has urged the Rural and Regional Development Ministry to assist three of the poorest districts in Sabah via rural projects, infrastructure, and other amenities for Kudat, Tongod, and Kota Marudu,” Zahid told reporters after chairing his ministry’s coordination meeting with the Sabah government here today.
“This will be a new game changer for the state government and for us, we will make sure this is realised.”
The Statistics Department’s Poverty Index 2022 report has categorised Pitas, Kudat, Kota Belud, Beluran, Tongod, Nabawan, Telupid, and Kota Marudu as among the country’s 10 poorest districts.
On another note, Zahid said several “quick-win” and “game-changer” projects have been identified under the RM50 million federal funding approved by the state government.
He said where the federal funding for these projects goes has been agreed upon between the state and his ministry.
A technical committee, he stressed, will also be established to coordinate and expedite the projects, with members comprising Sabah Secretary Datuk Seri Safar Untong, the Rural and Regional Development Ministry secretary-general, along with heads of state and federal departments as members.
Zahid also said work will also be done to establish padi estates in Sabah as part of dealing with food security issues involving domestic consumption.
Sabah relies heavily on imports and its padi self-sufficiency stood at 22.81% in 2022.
He said Felcra Bhd has the “modality” to implement such a project as seen from its scheme in Seberang Perak in the peninsula, where villagers were also involved as shareholders after the programme hit its break-even point.
“The villagers are also involved as workers in the padi estates (and) they were given a housing area prepared by Felcra,” said Zahid, adding that he would leave it to the state government to identify land for the purpose. – The Vibes, March 8, 2023
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