YB: Federal to blame for Sabah’s poverty
Published on: Thursday, April 25, 2024
By: Larry Ralon
“There has never been a housing programme for the poor other than the Hardcore Poor Housing Project (PPRT), but today, the people are relieved with a new option which is the State Government’s housing programme, namely Rumah Mesra SMJ,", Norazlinah said.
Kota Kinabalu: Kunak Assemblywoman Datuk Norazlinah Arif questioned the responsibility of the Federal Government which should ensure that Sabah, which is rich in resources, should not become a State where its people are poor.
“Equal partners have become unequal partners,” she said, adding that she was also shocked that the opposition in Sabah continued to blame the State Government for the poorest districts in Sabah but did not question the Federal Government’s responsibility towards the State.
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She said the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) rights would not be achieved if they in Sabah were busy blaming each other.
“MA63 will remain wishful thinking if we are busy pointing fingers at each other in Sabah. Our main problem today in Sabah has not changed much since 1963.
“Although the governments have come and gone, the water and electricity supply and road problems continue to be an unwanted Warisan (heritage) or an undreamed-of legacy.
“However, I would like to emphasise, that the difference is that today people are already literate in information.
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“They know that the previous government also failed to resolve this problem. People today just want a solution. Let’s move on. Enough with talking about your greatness when you became the Government and holding your blue book in your throat.
“The people are tired of reading postings that end up makan diri sendiri (shaming themselves),” she said when debating the government’s policy speech at the State Legislative Assembly sitting on Tuesday.
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Norazlinah also disagreed that the State Government today had failed because the dam project which was previously stalled was continued and the Pan Borneo Highway Project which was previously stopped was continued and some had been completed such as in Lahad Datu, Tawau and other packages would follow suit.
“There has never been a housing programme for the poor other than the Hardcore Poor Housing Project (PPRT), but today, the people are relieved with a new option which is the State Government’s housing programme, namely Rumah Mesra SMJ.
“There has never been ticket subsidy assistance for young Sabahans studying outside Sabah to return during Aidilfitri, but the State Government today is giving.
“The scholarship aid that recently went viral meant for cronies also proved false because the children of opposition leaders also received scholarships worth millions of ringgit.
“Yes, I agree, there is still a lot of work to be done for a better Sabah. For the Cabinet Ministers and government YBs, focus on finding solutions and for the opposition YBs, give thoughtful ideas and suggestions.”
Norazlinah also hoped that the allocation of RM80 million for the establishment of the Sabah Heart Centre announced by the Prime Minister recently was not just sweets and would not become like the previous announcement to solve the water problem at Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) until the State Government was criticised by the opposition.
“Honestly, Sabah deserves better health services than just the Sabah Heart Centre.
Even so, this is proof of the intensity of the State Cabinet Ministers who may not be loud on social media, but continue to insist that one by one our rights be returned by the Federal Government.”
Meanwhile, Norazlinah suggested that the allocation from the State Government for women in Sabah be reviewed.
“Although the number of women almost equals the number of men in Sabah, the allocation for women through the Women’s Affairs Department is only RM3.5 million, compared to the number of women in Sabah, 1.6 million, about half of Sabah’s population.
“It means that on average each woman in Sabah only gets an allocation of approximately RM2 ringgit,” she said.
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