KOTA KINABALU: The statement made by Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor concerning the achievement of ‘zero hard core poverty in Sabah’ presents varying interpretations, leading to confusion among the residents of the state.
Sabah IMNO election director Jeffrey Nor Mohamed expressed surprise at the remarks related to the issue of hard-core poverty in the state.
He said that if it is indeed true that there are no individuals classified as living in extreme poverty in Sabah, then there should be no further assistance required for the people of Sabah who seek help from their leaders.
“I hope the government can clarify the definition of extreme poverty referenced in this statement to avoid misleading the public, particularly those in rural areas.
“Realistically, many of our citizens in Sabah still struggle to make ends meet on a daily basis,” he said in a statement today.
Jeffrey, who is also the Putatan UMNO chief, questioned what guidelines are utilised in the eKasih system to determine the extreme poverty rate or the type of assistance provided to the impoverished, given that there are supposedly no individuals classified as extremely poor in Sabah.
“Furthermore, why is there still a need to monitor 4,634 individuals classified as extremely poor in Sabah after the announcement was made?
“I request a clear explanation of the indicators used to establish this claim of zero extreme poverty,” Jeffrey Nor elaborated.
He also enquired about the subsequent actions to be taken by the Sabah Department of Welfare Services in light of the assertion that there are no longer any individuals living in hard core poverty in Sabah.
