Sabah to go all out to eliminate hardcore poverty

KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah government is committed to eradicating hardcore poverty in the near future.

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The head of state, Tun Juhar Mahiruddin, said that in addition to the implementation of existing poverty eradication programmes by the government, together with the district office, local authorities, vernment-linked c companies, and industry players, the Hardcore Poverty Upliftment Programme is being carried out.

He said that currently, there are 22,510 registered hardcore poor household heads in the eKasih system as of September 2023, while as of March 2024, there are 13,179 reported cases.

“These statistics show a decrease of 42 percent as a result of the data purification of Hardcore Poor Household Heads, implemented in a phased manner, namely short-term, medium-term, and long-term programs.

“It includes five main pillars for the purpose of matching appropriate assistance or interventions to the hardcore poor, namely employment, entrepreneurship, housing, education, and welfare,” he said during the Opening Ceremony of the Fifth Session of the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) here today.

Juhar said that through short-term strategies, the focus is on providing employment opportunities and encouraging their involvement in the industry to help the people earn a steady income.

“This also includes enjoying increased income through the provision of job opportunities, as well as the implementation of various initiatives or assistance to the hardcore poor household heads and members through assistance tailored to their needs.

“In terms of improving the well-being of the people, especially in rural areas, the implementation of the Sabah Maju Jaya Friendly Home Program (SMJ) is being intensified to ensure that the rural population can immediately enjoy comfortable and safe housing, which will directly help improve their living standards,” explained Juhar.

During the same period, the government approved funds to establish a “Talent Pool” for the development of Sabah through scholarships for children in the state.

A total of 6,488 students who are enrolled in various courses at Public Higher Education Institutions (IPTA), Private Higher Education Institutions (IPTS) within and outside the country have benefited from this funding opportunity.

“The state government will intensify efforts and continue to implement various initiatives for the well-being of the people to further improve the quality of life and socio-economic status of various segments of society, including through the development of new towns,” he added.
Juhar said that four new towns will be implemented during the period of 2023-2024, namely Kalabakan New Town, Tongod New Town, Merotai New Town in Tawau, and Sungai Melayu Sebatik New Town in Tawau.

“In addition, three more new towns will be implemented after this, namely Pagalungan New Town, Sukau New Town, and Paginatan New Town in Ranau,” he said.

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