The main priorities are a good road network, clean water and electricity supply, according to Herniza Roxanne Marcus, a lecturer of management and business (economics) at the Sabah campus of Universiti Teknoloji Mara.
“There remain many areas in the interior that still do not have such infrastructure,” she told Bernama.
Under the 2022 budget, Sabah was allocated RM5.16 billion as development expenditure, which was an increase of RM104 million from that of the previous year. Sarawak was given RM4.67 billion, which was RM158 million more than in 2021.
Herniza acknowledged it would take time to ensure that some areas in the interior were adequately equipped with the basic infrastructure due to their vastness and geographical nature.
She cited the Tongod district in Sabah, which covers an area of more than 10,000 sq km, as an example.
Nonetheless, she said, a well organised and effective focus and planning would take Tongod out of the list of Sabah’s poorest districts.
“More development will bring opportunities for employment and entrepreneurship to the district,” she added.
Herniza said to ensure that the needs of the local population could be more easily identified, the state government could help by channelling accurate information, particularly on poverty, to the federal government.
She said the development of internet broadband should also be emphasised. “It has been proven that telecommunications facilities are a driving force (for growth) for various sectors, such as education and tourism,” she told Bernama.
Socio-political analyst Awang Azman Pawi of Universiti Malaya expressed hope that the government could introduce a specific mechanism for Sabah and Sarawak to deal with the rising cost of living.
Among other things, he said, the government could consider raising business development grants for entrepreneurs through the bumiputera agenda steering unit and channel subsidy assistance in a targeted manner to the B40 group without marginalising the middle-income group who also needed government support.
“As a whole, the federal government has to double the budget (allocation) for Sabah and Sarawak. Only then will their support have a meaningful impact,” he added.