Sabah's poverty rate 68%

http://www.theborneopost.com/2011/12/30/sabah-has-most-welfare-recipients-dept/

Sabah has most welfare recipients – dept

Posted on December 30, 2011, Friday

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah has recorded the biggest number of welfare assistance recipients in the country at 72,600, according to Jais Asri, the senior assistant director of Welfare Services Department.
He said it is not a good sign to have the highest number of welfare recipients as it shows that many people in the state are still living under the poverty line.
Jais said that in Sabah, those with an income of less than RM960 are categorised as poor and based on the record, 68 per cent of Sabahans are earning less than that amount.
He said the department is receiving about 500 welfare assistance cases daily or about 20 cases from each district in the state.
With only 88 case workers, the department is unable to study the huge number of cases speedily, thus it is currently assisted by 106 temporary workers, he said.
Asri said there are 278,000 senior citizens in Sabah and 47,000 of them are currently receiving the senior citizen assistance.
He said the senior citizens must report to the department every four months to ensure they continue to receive the assistance.
Meanwhile, deputy director of Welfare Services Department, Said Sidup, announced that the department will set up a ‘Desa Bina Diri’ under the Destitute Persons Act 1977 (Act 183) to shelter homeless people soon.
He said the local authorities will carry out operations to identify thee homeless people in the state.

Read more: http://www.theborneopost.com/2011/12/30/sabah-has-most-welfare-recipients-dept/#ixzz1hzBGMAbX

Razaleigh already inside plane and strapped but Harris invited him out!

Why didn't Harris invited Razaleigh much earlier, before Razaleigh was inside the plane that crashed and killed the Sabah's Chief Minister and his strongmen?

It smells fishy!



http://www.dailyexpress.com.my/news.cfm?NewsID=79836

Razaleigh's revelation merits probe, says former State Sec

Published on: Thursday, November 24, 2011

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Kota Kinabalu: The High Court here heard the revelation by Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah that the then Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Harris Mohd Salleh's last moment invitation to him to leave the plane saved his life, merits an investigation.

Tan Sri Simon Sipaun, 73, a former State Secretary, suggested this to the court when he testified before Judge Dato' Abdul Rahman Sebli.

Sipaun also said that based on the new fact he felt that a re-investigation would help determine the truth behind the tragedy that killed Tun Fuad Stephens and all those on board the Nomad aircraft on June 6, 1976.

He agreed with the defendants' counsel that the best way to find out the truth is to have a tribunal to investigate into the causes of the air crash if it is one of the possible means of knowing the truth.

Sipaun was testifying as the defendants' fourth witness during re-examination in the hearing of a suit against Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) and its President Datuk Yong Teck Lee which was brought by former Chief Minister Tan Sri Harris Salleh against the defendants for insinuating that he was involved in causing the Double Six tragedy on June 6, 1976.

Harris is claiming general damages, aggravated and exemplary damages of not less than RM50 million from Yong, who he named as first defendant and SAPP as second defendant, for libel.

He is represented by counsel Yunof Maringking and Trevor Kenneth Maringking, while Yong and SAPP are represented by counsel Datuk Simon Shim and Flora Dius.

Earlier, in his examination-in-chief, Sipaun told the court that on April 2, 2010 he had chaired a forum in which Razaleigh was the speaker on the topic of "Minyak Sabah Siapa Punya".

He said Razaleigh basically gave some background and information leading to the formation of Petronas and the Petroleum Development Act 1974 and that something in the course of the latter's speech caught his attention.

"It was his opening remarks where he told the audience that every time he comes to Sabah, he is reminded of the June 6, 1976 tragedy.

"However, what struck me most was when he said that he was already inside the plane together with the late Tun Fuad about to fly to Kota Kinabalu from Labuan when Harris came inside the plane and invited him to join him and go to Banggi, Kudat instead and to him that's how his life was saved because of the invitation.

"Personally, I found this revelation by Tengku most significant because this was the first time that I heard it happened that way," he said, adding the said revelation is a very important piece of information and that up to now he still does not know the real causes of the accident.

He also agreed with the first defendant's call for re-investigation into the air crash.

Sipaun, who was Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Communication and Works at the time of the air crash, said he had never seen any official report on the cause of the accident or the report of the coroner regarding the accident or any official information regarding the accident or the cause of accident.

Meanwhile, during cross-examination by the plaintiff's counsel, Sipaun said he could not recall whether there was an investigation or no investigation on the air crash.

To a question, Sipaun said the gist of the new development to the story was the fact that Razaleigh was already inside the plane, all strapped up ready to depart but invited at the last minute to go elsewhere.

Counsel: Do you agree that your support for the call for re-investigation on the incident because of Tengku Razaleigh's revelation that the plaintiff's last moment invitation to him to leave the plane saved his life?

Sipaun: I am supportive of the case being revisited on the ground that new information which has not been available before has become available.

Counsel: Can you be specific what you meant by new information, which has not been available before becoming available?

Sipaun: The fact that Razaleigh was already seated in the plane together with the late Tun Fuad Stephen and the rest, and was asked to get off the plane at the last minute. This is something I have never heard before.

The trial will continue on Dec 5, 6, 21 and 22.

Sabah State budget of 4Billion and yet only 4% 2010 GDP growth!

Malaysia was 10%, whereas Singapore 14%, which means,
West Malaysia is 12%, making Sabah GDP growth of only 1/3 of West Malaysia.

This is on the background of more than 2 Billion RM State budget, whereas Selangor's state budget had been less than 2 billion RM.

In 1994, Sabah's PBS budget was 2 billion RM a figure that UMNO's budget didn't achieve until a few years ago.

Check you facts and figures before you believe this lying reporter.

http://www.nst.com.my/opinion/columnist/rm4-billion-sabah-budget-surprise-1.14236

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03 December 2011 | Last updated at 12:41AM
RM4 billion Sabah budget surprise
By Joniston Bangkuai
jon@nst.com.my | 0 comments
State leadership proves it can deliver more development for the people

IT must have been music to the ears of Sabahans when Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman unveiled a whopping RM4.04 billion State Budget for next year, the largest ever in Sabah's 48-year history.

The people of Sabah have every reason to rejoice as the big budget means that more development programmes would be implemented for their benefit.

It is a holistic budget aimed at ensuring a balanced development of infrastructure and amenities between the rural and urban areas.

Themed "Accelerating the state's well-being and prosperity", the budget provides large funds to boost the state economy and improve the people's livelihood.

While the people are delighted with the huge budget, it is regrettable that the opposition has chosen to belittle it by questioning the ability of the state government to come up with the RM4.04 billion.

Having constantly labelled Sabah as one of the poorest in Malaysia, the opposition may have been taken by surprise with the huge budget.

To leaders of the Barisan Nasional, it was a perfect answer to quell the critics, especially the opposition, who have often described the state as one of the least developed.

It must be noted that despite uncertainties in the global economy and the fluctuating prices of oil, gas and commodities such as palm oil and timber, Sabah's economic fundamentals have remained strong because it is blessed with rich natural resources.

Most important is the proven capability of the state government, under the able leadership of the chief minister to efficiently and prudently manage its finances and resources.

Sabah has been among the top states that have achieved sound financial management, with giving it a clean bill by the Auditor-General for the last 11 consecutive years.

The state also received the highest rating of "AAA" by RAM Rating Services for the last three years for its strong fiscal position as a result of a series of surpluses and accumulation of strong reserves.

It has also obtained ISO certification from Moody International for efficiency and proper state budget management for three consecutive years. It must also be noted that the auditor-general's report for this year showed several actual figures that reflected the state's excellent financial achievements.

Among them was that the state reserves had exceeded RM3 billion, its revenue surpassing RM4 billion, actual surplus amounting to RM730 million, development expenditure at RM1.17 billion and it has no arrears on federal loans.

Perhaps, those who have often belittled the tireless efforts taken by the Sabah leadership to improve the state's economy and finances should compare the budget with that of Pakatan Rakyat-ruled states, like Selangor.

Despite being a more advanced and developed state, Selangor's budget for next year is only RM1.6 billion, while its reserves are about RM1 billion.

Musa, when tabling the budget at the State Assembly on Nov 18, expressed confidence in the ability of the state to deliver the RM4 billion budget, although its forecast revenue for next year is only RM3.6 billion. His optimism was based on the state's strong financial position and consistent actual surpluses, especially this year, where it recorded a surplus of RM730 million.

Musa, who is also State Finance Minister, said that Sabah's revised revenue for this year was about RM3.8 billion, an increase of more than RM1 billion or 39 per cent compared to the original estimate of RM2.4 billion.

About 80 per cent of its revenue for next year will come from crude palm oil sales tax, petroleum royalty, proceeds and interests from investments, land and forestry.

The bulk of next year's budget will be for special expenditures totalling RM2.3 billion, followed by RM1.1 billion for recurrent expenditures and RM623 million for emoluments.

A sum of RM881 million will be spent on development with focus on programmes and activities that will spur economic growth.

Emphasis is also given to the chief minister's three-prong Halatuju development strategy for agriculture, tourism and manufacturing as the state's main economic catalyst.

Special priority is also given to the eradication of poverty, creation of more jobs and providing skills training for the people.

With Sabah's economy growing rapidly and its finances in a strong footing, the state's budget for next year is a realistic one that took into account the state's development needs for the betterment of the people.

However, the huge budget would be meaningless if the targeted group did not benefit from the various development programmes that would be implemented.

As emphasised by the chief minister, elected representatives and government officers must constantly go to the ground to ensure the speedy and successful completion of projects.

The opposition may see it as an election budget, but to many in Sabah, it is a budget that would solve many of the state's development issues.

The big budget should erase the perception that Sabah is a poor and under-developed state.

Read more: RM4 billion Sabah budget surprise - Columnist - New Straits Times http://www.nst.com.my/opinion/columnist/rm4-billion-sabah-budget-surprise-1.14236#ixzz1fTYGVraf