KUALA LUMPUR: Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli highlighted that the rate of hardcore poverty in Sabah stands at 1.2 per cent in stark contrast to the national rate of 0.2 percent.
The Household Income and Expenditure Survey 2022 report showed that the rate of hardcore poverty in eight Sabah districts was higher than the national rate, with Tongod being the highest at 5.9 per cent.
"It is followed by Beluran (5 per cent), Pitas (4.8 per cent), Kinabatangan (4.6 per cent), Kota Marudu (4 per cent), Tuaran (2.6 per cent), as well as Ranau and Lahad Datu at 2.4 per cent each," he said during the question-and-answer session in the Dewan Rakyat today.
He was addressing a query from Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal (Warisan-Semporna), who sought information on the total number of hardcore poverty cases in Malaysia, particularly in the eight districts of Sabah classified as the poorest in the country, along with the initiatives and assistance available for them.
Rafizi emphasised that the disparity was significant, considering that the national hardcore poverty rate had decreased from one per cent in 2020 to 0.2 per cent, equivalent to 18,445 households in 2022.
Hence, the government has initiated the Central Database Hub (Padu) to accurately identify those eligible for assistance, as well as discussed the matter with the Sabah government to facilitate this process.
"Upon the completion of Padu and the comprehensive mapping of previously overlooked areas, numerous hardcore poor families in Sabah and beyond will have the opportunity to access assistance. This aid encompasses not only financial support but also programmes tailored for their children, such as TVET," he explained.
He added that the current focus in Sabah is on creating job opportunities through integrated farming, for example, through the People's Income Initiative - Farmer Entrepreneur Initiative (IPR-INTAN) project.
Rafizi highlighted that currently, the Sabah government is providing land for cultivation, with 390 hardcore poor families working on 203.96 hectares of land across eight districts, growing a variety of crops including pineapple, fertigated chilies, corn, and soybean.
"If we look at the performance of IPR-INTAN elsewhere, the monthly income for the first harvest ranges from RM2,200 to RM5,600 per month. If we manage to replicate this success in Sabah, it could result in every hardcore poor family involved in this initiative being able to lift themselves out of poverty within two years," he said.-- BERNAMA