Invite opposition to discuss Sabah budget, says DAP

KOTA KINABALU – Sabah opposition parties should be invited to discuss the upcoming state budget, said DAP’s Phoong Jin Zhe, pointing to the pressing need to step up assistance for small businesses and youth.

“Finance Minister (Datuk Seri) Tengku Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz will be meeting delegates from Pakatan Harapan to discuss the national Budget 2021, so Sabah Finance Minister (Datuk Seri) Hajiji Mohd Noor should do the same,” said the party’s youth chief in a statement.

“Bipartisan cooperation is becoming a national consensus. The government should not neglect constructive advice given by opposition members.

“Other than allocating funds for opposition members to distribute food aid to their constituents, we should also work together to discuss how to recover and stimulate Sabah’s economy post-pandemic.”

He called on politicians to heed the king’s decree for them to stop politicking, and cited as an example Penang’s formation of a bipartisan committee to combat Covid-19.

The Luyang rep said more than 90% of Sabah’s economy comprises small and medium enterprises.

“SMEs are struggling to sustain their business, and yet, the assistance provided by the government is insufficient. The upcoming state budget should focus on SMEs, and not just providing one-off cash aid and wage subsidies. The government should also extend the loan moratorium immediately.

“If SMEs can transform and sustain their operations, employment opportunities will follow.

“I am willing to assist the government with ideas and views to help the youth and SMEs here, as more than half of Sabah’s population consists of youth.

“The Statistics Department has revealed that 60% of the unemployed in Sabah are aged between 20 and 30. This is data gathered before the pandemic.

“An article titled ‘Sabah Crisis’, co-authored by Bridget Welsh... referring to a report by JobsMalaysia, stated that job opportunities in Sabah dropped significantly from 11,815 in July 2019 to 1,712 in July 2020.”

The majority of those who lost their jobs during the pandemic are low-skilled labourers, added Phoong.

He said these workers make up 24% to 27% of Sabah’s workforce, the highest level in Malaysia, with the national average being only 12% to 14%.

“There are a lot of retrenched workers, especially among youth, and SMEs are like a ball at the edge of a cliff.

“I call upon the government to provide more incentives to the gig workforce and reward SMEs that are striving during this difficult time.” – The Vibes, November 1, 2020