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There are many Arnies in Sabah who need help
Published on: Sunday, July 23, 2023
By: Datuk John Lo
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Imagine how many thousands of families are being mired in this sort of poverty all over Sabah, especially in the rural and coastal areas.
I have personally seen numerous “down and out” families in Pitas and Paitan. I am in contact with a nun in Paitan who is looking after more than a hundred very young children from poor families without any official help.
She is totally dependent on charities to feed, clothe and educate these kids who are spread out in the district. She has been struggling on stoically for these kids day in day out, year in year out for more than 17 years.
Arnie with rubber tapper parents
This unacceptable level and wide spread of poverty is unconscionable and immoral in resource-rich Sabah. There should be no Sabahans living like this.
Sabah is still the 6th largest producer of GDP in Malaysia. But where is all the money from oil and gas, the timber, 1.7 million ha of oil palm, booming tourism industry, millions of acres of fertile land and God-given rich marine diversity? What should and must be done so that Sabah will not have any more cases like Arnie Jaliushi?
https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2023/07/931331/there-are-many-arnie-jaliusih-sabah-due-poverty-says-kitinganhttps://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2023/07/931331/there-are-many-arnie-jaliusih-sabah-due-poverty-says-kitingan
Hajiji’s Sabahans First Policy is the answer.
Hajiji Sabahans First Policy is the first ever holistic policy to benefit Sabahans. For as long as I can remember, there has been scanty attention to manage Sabah’s economy for the benefit of Sabahans at the bottom half of society, where Sabahans need help most. ‘Lots of lip service! 2 very significant and glaring facts are pertinent.
Firstly, there has been a very serious lopsided distribution of wealth.
Most of Sabah’s wealth has been siphoned off to enrich non-Sabahans. The balance left has mostly gone to a small number of individual Sabahans. The remainders are just crumbs.
The wealth gap between the very rich and poor is frightening. Secondly, the Federal Government has been playing “ular” and short-changing Sabah in the allocation of development funding.
The flow of Federal funds must be sorted out immediately. For example, the Federal Government may approve RMX million for a project in 2023 for Sabah.
But and this is a big BUT as the actual budget allocation can be a fraction of the approved sum. What’s the use of this tiny sum?
Hajiji has initiated and is laying the foundation of the Sabahans First Policy which can benefit all Sabahans. To achieve the objectives of spreading economic benefits to all Sabahans under the Sabahans First Policy, there are many difficult problems to be overcome.
Leaders must change their mindset, must have quality and dedicated leadership.
Why can Singapore, with no natural resources at all, become the world’s 3rd richest country? Why China, from the deepest depths of poverty can succeed to be a super power within 30 years and has uplifted 800 million Chinese out of poverty?
Why has Malaysia been reduced from an Asian Tiger to a mere meowing kitten with national debt of RM1.5 trillion?
Why has Sabah been condemned as the worst performing state with the highest poverty and most serious unemployment? Why so many families like Arnie Jaliusih’s. It’s all boil down on good leadership quality.
Sabah’s perennial economic dilemmas and malaises can be solved quite easily by elected leaders changing their mindsets.
Hajiji’s Sabahans First Policy is a historical paradigm shift of mind set in the right direction.
Will it succeed? How fast can Sabahans benefit from this policy? These very much depend on leaders at all levels to change their mind sets, to become Sabahan centric, to ensure benefits reaching to the lowest level of society.
Also, to continuously fight for Sabah’s economic equitable rights. Masidi has shown his consistent exemplary stand in this regard. Dr Jeffry has also been at the forefront in this fight. More, many more leaders are needed to support Hajiji’s Sabahans First Policy and the regain on Sabah’s 40% of revenue.
https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2023/07/18/sabah-govt-will-never-surrender-state-rights-says-masidi
Elected representatives, institutions, some officials responsible for implementation of economic development have failed badly.
They must reform and transform quickly. They must become the first line of defence against poverty, fighters for Sabah’s rights. Too many elected representatives, officials and institutions have failed, in some cases, have even aggravated Sabah’s economic problems.
It is for all to see.
The facts are glaringly obvious. Sabah has fallen from top No.2 state to the bottom, worst incidence of poverty, largest number of [5 out of 8] regions of poverty, highest unemployment, lowest household income. What has happened to all the prime! Prime! Prime! land alienated to GLCs? Sabah’s atrocious infrastructure is the accumulation of years of neglect, negligence and corruption. Sabahans have to face these problems head on, to overcome obstacles from little Napoleons.
The five districts in Sabah recorded the highest poverty are Tongod (56.6 per cent), Pitas (53.6 per cent), Kota Marudu (46.1 per cent), Beluran (45 per cent), and Telupid (40.7 per cent).
The reality on the ground is that things are excruciating slow. Implementations are at snail pace on some policies and most projects that can benefit Sabahans. Hajiji and Dr Jeffry have expressed their frustrations often in the press.
Time to crack the whip. Time to boot out the little Napoleons who are incapable, incompetent of implementing government policies and projects.
Time to let those progressive YBs who are genuinely concerned about Sabahans’ welfare and effective hard-working officers to take charge in the implementation of the Sabahans First Policy.
Must develop Sabah to benefit Arnie Jaliusih’s generation.
Stop the politicking. Concentrate on Economics Development.
Politicking cannot put food on the table, cannot eradicate poverty. Unprincipled leaders can only bring economic disasters. Sabah needs a new generation of leaders with “good hearts” and knowledge of economic development to put things right in Sabah.
Leaders wishing to develop Sabah for young Sabahans like Arnie Jaliusih can join Hajiji in his implementation of the Sabahans First Policy.
- The views expressed here are the views of the writer John Lo and do not necessarily reflect those of the Daily Express.
- If you have something to share, write to us at: [email protected]
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