According to Amanda Yeo of Emir Research, the median household income in urban areas was RM5,037 compared to RM3,172 among rural families in 2019, and there are signs that conditions are worsening.

Between 2019 and 2020, she said, the absolute poverty rate spiked from 19.5% to 25.3%, meaning that more than a quarter of households in the state survived on less than RM2,209 a month.

“Without facilities like suitable roads, there are limited opportunities for upward mobility,” Yeo told FMT.

“It’s very difficult for people in rural areas to find higher paying jobs in urban or developed areas when there are no real means for them to travel there.”

Similarly, low-skilled workers are unable to upgrade their skills with the poor internet coverage plaguing many rural areas.

“If they don’t have access to classes or courses to gain knowledge to qualify for semi-skilled jobs, they can get stuck in a certain income bracket,” she said.

Poor internet and roads also make the interior unconducive to ecotourists, a lost opportunity given Sabah’s lush forests.

“If you need to drive through muddy roads or take a boat, travel to these areas can be expensive and time consuming,” Yeo said.

She said providing quality internet should be the priority as it would allow rural communities to supply local crafts and crops to a wider market, raising their income as other forms of infrastructure are developed.

“If they are only selling to people within their town, their income stream is very limited. But if they can expand to other parts of Sabah and the country, they can take advantage of greater opportunities.”