KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 17 — Government initiatives on poverty eradication, education sector improvements, and allocations for Sabah were among the issues brought up by several MPs from the state during today’s Dewan Rakyat sitting.
During the policy-level debate session of the Supply Bill 2024, Kota Marudu MP Datuk Wetrom Bahanda asked the government to consider a suggestion to provide specific allocations to poor areas to eradicate hardcore poverty, especially in Sabah and Sarawak.
Special allocations need to focus on infrastructure development and the people’s economy, and the government needs to be more serious and redouble its efforts to overcome the problems afflicting the districts.
“With such a good budget tabled, we ask for these poorest districts in Sabah and Sarawak to be given attention by the government so that what we bring up here in this esteemed hall can be tended to,” he said.
Semporna MP Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal also touched on the same subject, wanting to know what government initiatives for poverty eradication were under Budget 2024.
He also hopes the RM58.7 billion allocation for the Education Ministry under Budget 2024 will be used wisely to ensure all infrastructure in schools, especially in the rural area in Sabah, are adequate.
“As when things are created, schools need to be based on needs, not just recommendations from MPs or certain parties. The Ministry of Education must go down deeper based on existing needs.
“…I hope the schools we wish to create, we should spend as much as possible… I also hope that everything is well prepared, electricity and such. We provide tablets and computers but do not have lights,” Shafie said.
He also suggested the Education Ministry work with the Transport Ministry to prepare school bus services to ferry students to schools safely.
— Bernama
