Poverty in Ranau

By Luke Rintod of FMT

RANAU: Surrounded by the rural-most parts of several poverty-stricken districts bordering it, Ranau is often considered better off than its neighbours. But that’s a misconception. It is well in contention for the poorest district in Sabah.

An undulating land, famed for its vegetable terraces at the foothills of Mount Kinabalu, Ranau is still known for its rustic and hard lifestyle.

Here in Ranau, basic amenities are few and far between.

That should not come as a surprise, says State Reform Party (STAR) divisional head for district, Jalibin Paidi.

While it was never mentioned as the poorest, perhaps because of its market gardens along the main road to Sandakan and Tawau, the fact that it is adjacent to the notoriously poor, rural parts of Kota Marudu, Beluran, Tongod, Tambunan, Keningau, Kota Belud and Tuaran districts, conceals the poverty in the district.

“STAR is concerned because many areas in Ranau in fact still do not enjoy basic amenities such as good roads, electricity and water. It is also a very hilly district, and that it is a common scene that natives live in poverty, living in old dilapidated wooden houses everywhere,” said Jalibin.

Jalibin, who is also STAR state committee member and a leading contender to be its candidate in Ranau, said the state government must carry out a fresh study on poverty in the state especially in rural areas like Ranau.

He said while it is taken for granted that the northern part of Sabah is the poorest with the most number of hardcore poor households, Ranau is just adjacent to most of the poverty stricken areas and this warrants a re-look as poverty is rampant in many parts of Ranau.

“Signs of poverty can also be seen from the low purchasing power of the people. In Ranau, we have three state constituencies (Kundasang, Karanaan and Paginatan) but only two visible towns – Ranau itself and Kundasang, both thriving partly because they are right on the east-west road that connects Kota Kinabalu to Sandakan and Tawau.

“The tourism sector too has in fact been of little benefit to the ordinary kampung folks. There haven’t any outstanding programmes that have really helped leap-frog meaningful participation of local entrepreneurs in tourism. It is all ordinary and naturally developed, not so much of government intervention,” alleged Jalibin, adding that it is the same in agriculture there.

Once a mining town

Towards this end, he said, Karanaan assemblyman, Masidi Manjun, who is Tourism and Environment Minister, and Ranau MP, Siringan Gubat, should perhaps enlighten the public on the real situation of poverty and rural developments in Ranau vis-a-vis increase of income, infrastructures, school drop-outs, mortality rate and migration of youths to other towns and cities.

Ranau, with a population of 94,092 (2010 census) and at the average elevation of about 1,176 metre above sea level is host to many tourist destinations such as the Mount Kinabalu, Kinabalu Park, Poring Hot Springs, Kundasang Memorial Park and the WWII Death March Trail.

It also has the country’s first World Heritage Site (the Kinabalu Park) having designated as such by the UNESCO in December 2000. Ranau was also once home to the largest mining project in Malaysia, the Mamut Copper Mine, before it ceased operations in 1999.

Masidi: Show proof Ranau poorest

Meanwhile Karanaan assemblyman Masidi has challenged Jalibin to get his facts right before claiming that Ranau could be Sabah’s poorest district.

“Otherwise, he is just another politician who likes to court publicity with sweeping statements,” said Masidi.

Borneo Post quoted Masidi as saying that the government has never denied the fact that poor people could be found all over Sabah, including Ranau.

“The government is doing all it can to eradicate hardcore poverty with programmes that are well publicised. However, we are not idealists who like to paint a good picture just to soothe the feelings of the people or make promises which are practically impossible to fulfill,” he said.

He added that there is no easy solution to poverty and he doubts that there could be a thing as total poverty eradication.