KOTA KINABALU: Two locations in Sabah will be developed holistically under the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP) in an effort to reduce poverty, says Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed.

       The Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Economy) said that the Federal Government has asked the state government here to identify the locations for projects that could improve the livelihood of communities living in the area.

       Speaking at a press conference on Saturday (Oct 30) following the post-12MP Roadshow engagement with the state government, he said these locations will be developed via federal-state government tie-ups with corporate involvement.

       "Sabah is amongst the poorest states, so one of the main areas of focus is introducing new approaches to handle poverty," said Mustapa.

       He added that the goal would be to eradicate hardcore poverty in Sabah by 2025 and to reduce the poverty rate.

       Mustapa also said that the projects could be in agriculture or aquaculture, adding that the locations will be determined in a month's time with the Chief Minister's Department.

       He added that the involvement of government-linked companies and the private sector is also in line with Budget 2022, which touched on corporate entities playing a more proactive role in eradicating poverty as a national effort.

       "It will be done holistically, which means we will also involve non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and universities. I have heard that Universiti Malaysia Sabah has been active in helping poor communities," said Mustapa.

       "What is important, the projects will be income generating and sustainable, not one-off, with constant monitoring. This is a way to prove our commitment to reduce poverty and bridge the gap (between the states)," he added.

       Mustapa said that Sabah has a lot of catching up to do and they aspire to accelerate the state's growth under the 12MP.

       He added that following the recent Brunei–Indonesia–Malaysia–Philippines East Asean Growth Area (Bimp-Eaga) summit on Thursday (Oct 28), they have been directed to improve efforts to provide a more dynamic environment for it to prosper.

       "Because of that, connectivity and infrastructure projects will be of importance, as well as the development of border towns," said Mustapa.

       He added that the first step on this would be to engage with the Sabah government and business councils in the state as they will hold a bigger role in Bimp-Eaga programmes.

       On another note, Mustapa said that while some development projects have been delayed due to Covid-19, the improving situation in the country means that this can no longer be an excuse for contractors.

       "We are monitoring projects closely at the federal level. I also attend scheduled meetings in rotation with the Chief Secretary to get updates on projects nationwide," added Mustapa.