Sabah needs bigger allocation in 2023 Budget to combat poverty

Liew (centre) meeting members of the Chinese community at the Food Court in Sabindo, Tawau.

26 August 2022

By Wartawan Nabalu News

TAWAU: Sabah needs a bigger allocation in the 2023 Budget to lift the state out of the abyss of poverty, said Tawau MP Datuk Christina Liew.

She stressed that more funds must be channelled to the state for implementing its poverty eradication programmes and infrastructure development.

"The Federal Government is well aware that Sabah is among the poorest states in the country. Yet, we continue to receive 'crumbs' every year, which is doing a great disservice to the people of Sabah.

"Surely, the people, who are lagging in terms of infrastructure development, deserve better attention and treatment from the Central Government.

"Some of our roads are in a deplorable condition, and this has been the butt of a joke, even among members of the international community," Liew told reporters after meeting the people at the food court in Sabindo here on Thursday.

In March this year, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Economy), Dato' Sri Mustapa Mohamed admitted that Sabah is lagging with a poverty rate of 19.5pc compared to the national average of 5.6pc while speaking in the Dewan Rakyat.

On the Tawau side, Liew suggested more Federal funding to beef up the Police Contingent, General Operations Force (GOF), Marine Police and Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA).

"These agencies have consistently been doing a good job to curb the entry of illegal immigrants, smuggling activities and illegal wildlife trade, particularly in the East Coast region," she said.

The MP also repeated her call to the Government to seal Jalan Sin On Tiku in Balung to improve road connectivity in the constituency.