KOTA KINABALU: The federal government wants Sabah and Sarawak to enjoy the same rapid development as other states in the country.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the government was working to close the development gap between the peninsula and Sabah.
"The existence of the toll-free Pan Borneo Highway network will be able to change the entire landscape in Sabah within five years.
"At the same time, the government also remains committed to investing in education by repairing and rebuilding poor schools in rural Sabah," he said during the Jelajah Aspirasi Keluarga Malaysia at the Sabah International Convention Centre, here, today.
Ismail Sabri added that the Education Ministry had entrusted 113 poor schools in Sabah to the Public Works Department (PWD).
PWD Sabah will be the implementing agency to upgrade the schools at a cost of RM1.02 billion.
Under the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP), Ismail Sabri said the government had also set a target of zero hardcore poor by the end of 2025 through the Malaysian Family Hardcore Poverty Eradication Program (BMTKM).
The programme is being coordinated by the Economic Planning Unit (EPU) and the Implementation Coordination Unit (ICU) as well as the Prime Minister's Department.
Ministries, state governments, academics, the private sector and civil society organisations (CSO) will also be engaged to find the best methods to eradicate the hardcore poor holistically based on locality.
"The government is holding a comprehensive engagement session in collaboration with 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.
"Under the first phase of BMTKM, a total of 10 localities in Sabah have been identified in Tongod, Pitas, Kota Belud, Kota Marudu, Beluran, Nabawan, Tuaran, Sipitang, Beaufort and Ranau."
On fulfilling the 1963 Malaysia Agreement, Ismail Sabri said he was chairing the Federal Level Committee together with Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor to discuss various matters including Sabah's demands.
"We hope that any outstanding issue or request from Sabah can be discussed and looked into properly."