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By Lian Cheng
KUCHING, July 6: Unsurprised by the recent announcement that Sarawak has achieved high-income status by World Bank standards, a Sarawak deputy minister holds that Sarawak should not be complacent but continue to focus on rural development.
Health, Local Government and Housing Deputy Minister Datu Penguang Manggil said Sarawak has been moving ahead in the right direction but focus should continue be placed on rural infrastructure.
“Yes, Sarawak has been doing well, especially the last few years and I think others can see that, even Peninsular Malaysia.
“So I think we are heading in the right direction for now, and we have the right kind of leadership that will lead us to the next level of economic development.
“But I think we should not be over complacent but should focus on road connectivity, internet connectivity and provision of utilities especially in rural area, especially road connectivity, because we need roads to transport local produce to the market,” Penguang told DayakDaily when contacted today.
Meanwhile, to a pundit such as Prof Dr Jayum Jawan of Universiti Putra Malaysia, “high income” is merely an economic term. What is important is the eradication of poverty, he claimed.
“It means nothing to the unemployed and to those in the rural areas who live from hand to mouth. It may mean that the rich are richer, and that the middle class or middle income have more disposable and higher purchasing power,” said Jayum.
To him, some leaders may be proud of Sarawak’s high income status but what is most important is when poverty is eliminated, while all citizens are are provided with basic needs such as clean water, 24-hour electricity and having food on the table. — DayakDaily
