TUARAN: The number of hardcore poor households in Sabah is expected to be reduced by 70 to 80 per cent this year.
Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor said the state now has more than 22,000 hardcore poor Household Heads (KIR).
He added that the target could be achieved with the collaboration of all parties including the state and federal governments, through their departments and agencies, as well as government-linked companies (GLCs) and the private sector providing various types of assistance and initiatives.
Among the assistance to be extended for poverty eradication includes job opportunities, education, welfare, housing, and entrepreneurship.
"We prioritise the children of hardcore poor households to work in government departments and agencies and government-owned companies.
"Investors who come to invest and open factories in Sabah are required to employ children from the eKasih list of hardcore poor to work.
"We have asked them to ensure that these job opportunities can be enjoyed by those in the hardcore poor category," he said in a statement.
Hajiji also said that the list of hardcore poor households have also been scrutinised by the Sabah Maju Jaya Secretariat (SMJ) and sent to companies, government departments and agencies, and government GLCs so that they are given the opportunity to work.
Meanwhile, during a ceremony at a resort here, Hajiji handed over participation letters to 27 aid-giving agencies, consisting of 10 state ministries, nine state government agencies, seven federal government agencies, and one industrial player.
For the initial phase of the MySMJ Work Programme, Industry player SBH Kibing Solar Sdn Bhd has committed to appointing 200 people to work in the Kota Kinabalu and Kudat areas.
Apart from that, the Sabah Islamic Affairs Department, in collaboration with the Sabah Islamic Religious Council), is also committed to providing employment to 12 hardcore poor groups to be placed in six state religious schools in the Tuaran district.
For welfare assistance, the Community Development and People's Well-being Ministry through the General Welfare Service Department has also committed to distributing welfare assistance to 263 hardcore poor households.
For housing assistance, the Rural Development Ministry and the Local Government and Housing Ministry have committed to housing assistance, namely the SMJ Rumah Mesra Programme and the House Repair Programme for 377 household heads.