IPR Well-Designed, But Implementation Must Be Comprehensive in Sabah’s Interior

KOTA KINABALU: The People’s Income Initiative (IPR) is a well-structured program, but its implementation in the interior regions of Sabah remains lacking and uneven.

Kinabatangan Member of Parliament, Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin, said the program is a core policy under the 13th Malaysia Plan (RMK-13).

He emphasized that Sabah’s interior is among the areas most in need of targeted economic support.

“Hardcore poverty in Sabah stands at 1.2%, which is six times higher than the national average of 0.2%.
This is not just a statistic—it is clear evidence of the ongoing development gap.

“The reality is that many Sabahans, especially single mothers, senior citizens, and rural youths, continue to live in deprivation—not because they lack the will to work, but because they lack access to opportunities and aid,” he said in a statement today.

He urged the Ministry of Economy to restructure the IPR implementation to make it more comprehensive and inclusive for Sabah.

He suggested that on-ground outreach programs should be a primary strategy—involving face-to-face engagement at community halls, schools, houses of worship, and community centres, in close cooperation with village heads, NGOs, and grassroots leaders.

“The government needs to come to the people, not the other way around.
Central policies like IPR must be translated with an understanding of the grassroots context—geography, culture, and the local economic reality.”

“Sabah has extraordinary potential, but only if policies are executed fairly and strategically,” he added.

He also stressed that it is time for the federal government to view Sabah not merely as the poorest state, but as a strategic development partner capable of contributing significantly to the country’s future.

“I believe that with an empowered implementation of IPR, Sabah can break the cycle of poverty and move towards a more prosperous future,” he said.

– Agency