Govt committed to eradicating gap between peninsula and Sabah, says PM

 

Ismail Sabri Yaakob says Putrajaya is also committed to continue investing in education by repairing and rebuilding all dilapidated schools in the rural areas of Sabah. (Bernama pic)

KOTA KINABALU: The federal government is making efforts to eradicate the development gap between Peninsular Malaysia and Sabah, including through the construction of the Pan Borneo Highway, Ismail Sabri Yaakob said today.

The prime minister said the toll-free Pan Borneo Highway being built in Sabah has the potential to transform all areas in the state within the next five years.

“At the same time, the government is also committed to continue investing in education by repairing and rebuilding all dilapidated schools in the rural areas of Sabah.

“I was told that the federal education ministry has entrusted 113 dilapidated schools in Sabah to the works ministry with the state public works department (JKR) being the implementing agency to upgrade these schools at a cost of RM1.02 billion.

“For sure, it is the hope of the federal government to see Sabah and Sarawak enjoying rapid development similar to other states,” Ismail said at an event held at the Sabah International Convention Centre here today.

Also present were Sabah chief minister Hajiji Noor, deputy chief ministers Bung Moktar Radin, Jeffrey Kitingan and Dr Joachim Gunsalam, agriculture and food industries minister Ronald Kiandee, state ministers and senior ministry officials.

Ismail said Putrajaya would remain committed to realising the target of zero hardcore poverty in 10 localities in Sabah by the end of 2025 as outlined under the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP) through the holistic involvement of all relevant departments and agencies.

He said the 10 localities identified for phase one of the hardcore poverty eradication (BMT) programme in Sabah were Tongod, Pitas, Kota Belud, Kota Marudu, Beluran, Nabawan, Tuaran, Sipitang, Beaufort and Ranau.

According to him, the poverty eradication programme was previously implemented in silos, but the roles of all agencies involved were now combined, with the Prime Minister’s Department through the Economic Planning Unit (EPU) and the Implementation Coordination Unit (ICU) acting as the coordinator and facilitator.

“The government is holding a comprehensive engagement session with the cooperation of the state government and district offices to obtain input from all parties, including at the grassroots level, to ensure that this target can be achieved,” he said. - FMT