Hardcore poverty, citizenship among issues Sabah PKR discussed with Anwar

 

Eliminating hardcore poverty and the issue of citizenship in Sabah are among the main areas discussed with the Sabah PKR State Leadership Council today, said Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.

Anwar, the PKR president, said the Sabah PKR leadership expressed the importance of speeding up efforts to eradicate hardcore poverty in the state and also put up suggestions to deal with the matter. 

Also discussed was the importance of strengthening cooperation between the federal and state governments to overcome citizenship issues in Sabah, especially those involving residents who still do not have valid identification documents, he said.

“Of course, (overcoming the citizenship issue) will be according to the conditions determined by our country. I was moved when I saw that the focus was there (to overcome) the problem of poverty and there was no valid document,” he told reporters in Kota Kinabalu today.

Earlier he held a special meeting with the Sabah PKR leadership which was also attended by PKR Women chief Fadhlina Sidek (education minister), PKR information chief Fahmi Fadzil (communications minister), and Sabah PKR State Leadership Council chairperson Sangkar Rasam.

Also present were 26 Sabah PKR division heads, among them were Kota Belud PKR division chief Mustapha Sakmud (deputy higher education minister) and Kota Kinabalu PKR division head Christina Liew (state tourism, culture and environment minister). 

Anwar said the state party also provided views on the council’s leadership issues and any decision on the matter will be made after discussions with the central leadership. 

“(We) consulted with the heads of the divisions (in Sabah)... they gave me their views for consideration (and) we will refer to the central leadership. 

“We will consult the central leadership and make a decision,” he said. 

Asked about the 17th Sabah state election, he said the discussion also involved preparations for the election at the grassroots and branch levels of the party but did not comment further. 

- Bernama