Land below the ‘Wimp’
Apparently, it is a norm and Sabahans have become numb to the fact that “Sabah is full of resources and yet it is the poorest state”. 45 years after the formation of Malaysia, once was ranked as one of the richest states in the federation with its vast wealth from timber and oil resources, to-date, Sabah is still struggling to provide its people with good urban environments, roads without potholes, street lamps that actually work and even proper bus stops. [1]
Ironically, according to Wikipedia, Sabah’s theoretical autonomy has been given up notwithstanding that it was a condition when the then Borneo interim government had agreed to join the federation. It was also in the part of our history that disproportionate power had been given to the indigenous Muslim Bajau ethnic group at the expense of the mainly Christian indigenous Kadazan-Dusun, the largest ethnic group. Part of the contributions to the state of Sabah having the largest number of people below poverty line in Malaysia, and lower than the Indonesian national poverty rate and in the same level as Aceh and Myanmar based on 2004 UN figures is that under the Ninth Malaysia Plan, RM16.908 billion has been allocated for Sabah but it is still only 8% of the total national budget for a population of Sabah of more than 13%, and area of more than 25%![2]
No wonder, every one of us is wondering “What on earth happened to Sabah?”
5 HIGHEST-LOWEST OF SABAH
SABAH has the HIGHEST cost of living in Malaysia
SABAH has the HIGHEST poverty level in Malaysia
SABAH has the HIGHEST unemployment rate in Malaysia
SABAH has the LOWEST average income in Malaysia AND
SABAH is the POOREST state in Malaysia
2 comments:
ooOOoooooo... another person who loves sabah! YAY!!
Good entry, totally agree with what you said.
"Land below the wimp"? Hats off to your ingenuity, can't think of anything more fitting in ONE LINE to descript Sabahans' condition.
Given Sabah's situation, it doesn't take rocket science to be a good politician in Sabah. Deliver us the basic (and working) amenities, bring Sabah's infrastructure and standard of living up on par with West Malaysia, the progress will soon be apparent.
Keep the fire going.
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