42 per cent drop in number of hardcore poor households in Sabah last month

KOTA KINABALU: The number of heads of household (KIR) in the hardcore poor category in Sabah dropped by 42 per cent to only 13,179 as recorded last month compared to 22,510 in September last year, said Yang di-Pertua Negeri Tun Juhar Mahiruddin.

He said it resulted from the efforts carried out on KIR data cleansing, matching aid or interventions involving state statutory bodies, local authorities and government-linked companies, and collaborations with industry players.

“Besides existing poverty eradication programmes, the state government works with district offices, local authorities, governmentlinked companies and industry players to implement programmes to end hardcore poverty.

“The state government is indeed committed to eradicating poverty efforts, particularly in ending hardcore poverty in Sabah,” he said in his policy speech at the opening of the Fifth Session of the 16th State Legislative Assembly (DUN) here yesterday.

He said the hardcore poverty eradication initiative is being implemented in phases involving short-term, medium-term and longterm programmes covering five main pillars for matching aid or appropriate interventions for hardcore poor individuals namely employment, entrepreneurship, housing, education and welfare.

Meanwhile, Juhar said efforts to provide access to broadband internet to communities in remote and rural areas in the state via VSAT Starlink in 26 districts have produced encouraging results.

He said 100Mbps VSAT Starlink units have been installed in 219 locations, benefitting 60,328 relevant communities, adding that the state government is aiming to install the system in 300 locations by June this year to bridge the digital gap in those communities.