Dusuns poorest of all in Sabah, P'ment told

KUALA LUMPUR, April 30, 2011: Dusuns form the majority of the poor and hardcore poor in Sabah with 7,715 poor and 1,149 hardcore poor, follower by Orang Sungai (3,075 and 290) and Murut (3,063 and 284), Paliament was told.

ln Sarawak, Ibans form the highest number (11,305 and 411) followed by Malays (3,520 and 113) and Bidayuh (2,284 and 84) Statistics show 28,657 residents in the Poor Category in Sabah and 21.899 in Sarawak. In the hardcore poor Category. there were 2,544 and 1,113 in Sabah and Sarawak, respectively.

Datuk Chua Soon Bui (SAPP-Tawau) had asked the Government to list the native according to poor and hardcore poor and what plans it has to help them.

A representative of the PM’s Department said the Government through the LIH NKRA (Low Income Household National Key Results Areas) headed by the Women. Family and Social Development Ministry and Rural and Federal Territory Development Ministry also had various projects and programmes.

Among the LIH NKRA programmes implemented under the Women, Family and Social Development Ministry were the 1Azam consisting of Azarm Tani (Agriculture), Azam Khidmat (Survice) Azam Niaga (Business) dan Azam Kerja(Employment).

The Ministry of Rural and Federal Territory Development also implemented programmes to help this group. 

He said channelling of Funds will be expedite so that they will reach Sabah and Sarawak even though there were remote isolated areas.

The Government will ensure that efforts in poverty eradication are fairly carried out through out the country without any discrimination, he said.

Chua called on the Ministry to give the natives a better and fairer deal on NCR Lands as the first step of not discriminating against them.

She cited the many NCR lands taken away from the natives as a very root cause of the high poverty rate amongst them.
 

Furthermore, the LIH NKRA programmes (Azams) must be implemented efficiently so that they could reach the tribes who genuinely deserve the help. 

Chua also asked about RM20 million allocation for the implementation of Native Customary Rights (NCR) projects/programmes in Sabah and Sarawak and whether the above has helped in pre-bumiputra developments in Sabah and Sarawak.

The representative replied that the allocation was meant for perimeter surveying of Native Customary Rights (NCR) lands in Sarawak to enable the issuance of land grants to the people and to develop the said lands by using a appropriate development model.

As on 22 March 2011, 28 target areas had completed the surveying work. involving s total of 20,703 hectares and a total expenditure of RM I2,394,261.56.
 

On steps taken in handling abuse and cheating cases involving the right of pre-bumiputras on NCR lands, the Minister said NCR Land Owners were often advised not to enter into any agreement with any other party without the knowledge of the Government.

As a result, the State Government of Sarawak through the Ministry of Land Development encouraged the NCR Land Owners to jointly develop their lands under the new model of NCR Land Development, and Government agencies like Land Culture & Development Authority (LCDA) could become a protector of the interest of the pribumis.