KOTA KINABALU: The various initiatives outlined under the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP) can help bridge the development and economic gap between Sabah and the peninsula, says a senior business lecturer.

       Dr Rafiq Idris, who is with Universiti Malaysia Sabah Faculty of Business, Economics and Accountancy, said the 12MP tabled by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob clearly showed the Federal Government’s commitment to the effort.

       He said this was evident with at least 50% of the total federal basic development allocation to be distributed to the less developed states, including Sabah.

       “If the plans and efforts can be translated over the next five years, the economic development gap will be reduced,” he said in an interview with Bernama.

       The Associate Fellow at the Ungku Aziz Centre for Development Studies said efforts to bridge the economic gap could also indirectly reduce the poverty rate in the long run.“With the allocation (in the 12MP), it will enable implementation of basic infrastructure, digitisation, education, healthcare services as well as other basic needs for the state’s development,” he added.

       However, in the effort to achieve economic growth especially in reducing poverty, Rafiq said this also depended on various factors interdependent on each other.

       “The factors include existing policies, efficient implementation of planning and awareness to improve the level of education in society,” he said.

       UMS vice-chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Taufiq Yap Yun Hin said efforts to introduce a more flexible higher education and digital education plans and job creation strategies through the 12MP were capable of producing more high quality human capital.

       He said the move was important in the effort by public universities and educational institutions to produce more graduates who met the needs of industries and to avoid a mismatch between academic qualifications and employment opportunities.

       “To face this challenge, universities need to have strategies to develop students’ critical skills.”

       He added that equally important were strategies involving developing digital, cognitive capabilities, as well as students’ social and emotional skills.

       “I believe universities are able to be proactive, creative and adaptive in reviewing their academic curricula from time to time to meet the needs of industries and produce better human capital for the country,” he said.