KOTA KINABALU – Invoking the spirit of “Keluarga Malaysia” (Malaysian family), Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob has assured Sabahans that it is the federal government’s wish for the state as well as Sarawak to enjoy the same rapid development as states in the peninsula.
He said work is being implemented to eliminate the development gap between Peninsular Malaysia and the Borneo states, noting that Putrajaya has set 2025 as the year the country achieves zero poverty under the 12th Malaysia Plan.
Speaking in Kadazan, Ismail said: “Osusa toi asanang, tomoi-mo mi-i-so” (in bad and good times, we will be together and united as one Malaysia family.”
Ismail expressed his belief that the creation of the Pan Borneo Highway will be a game changer in terms of economic development for Sabah in five years’ time.
“I am also made to understand that the Education Ministry has handed 113 dilapidated schools in Sabah to the federal and state public works departments to implement repairs at the cost of RM1.02 billion.
“The Economic Planning Unit (EPU) and Implementation Coordination Unit (ICU) under the Prime Minister’s Department are also coordinating and facilitating the ‘Keluarga Malaysia’ Poverty Eradication Programme (BMTKM),” he added.
“The government is also in the midst of gathering inputs from the state and district offices to ensure the poverty eradication programme targets can be met,” he said during the launching of the Aspirasi Keluarga Malaysia programme here today.
The prime minister is on a two-day visit to Sabah. Yesterday, he attended the Barisan Nasional Hari Raya Aidilfitri open house celebration near here.
Ismail said 10 localities have been identified for the poverty eradication programme, including Tongod, Pitas, Kota Belud, Beluran, Nabawan, Tuaran, Sipitang and Beaufort.
“Before such a programme was carried out in silo by all the agencies involved. But for the BMTKM, EPU and the ICU will be the coordinators to bring together all the involved parties like government ministries, state government, academics, private sector, and civil society organisations to find the best way to eliminate poverty holistically,” he said.
The Bera MP, who is on his fourth visit to Sabah after becoming prime minister last August, also touched on the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63). He hoped that both Sabah and Putrajaya would be able to settle the state’s rights issue amicably.
“The federal government will always play the role of a positive family member in fulfilling all matters relate to MA63, especially getting what ‘Malaysia Family Sabah’ truly deserve,” said Ismail Sabri.
He noted that he has formed the MA63 committee which he now chairs with Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor – who is also in the committee.
On a separate matter, Ismail Sabri announced that people in Pegalungan in Nabawan district no longer need to travel 100km to Keningau to get a border-crossing pass.
He said they can now obtain these at the Pegalungan Immigration Department control post.
“To ensure there will be no more no wrong-door policy, all renewal of passes, temporary and long-term, can now be done via state immigration offices,” he said.
This is the third Aspirasi Keluarga Malaysia event officiated by Ismail Sabri after state-level launches in Johor and Perlis previously. – The Vibes, May 20, 2022
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