Ranau could be the poorest district, says STAR

By Ezra Haganez
RANAU : Ranau, a district surrounded by the rural-most parts of several poverty stricken districts, could be the poorest in Sabah, claimed State Reform Party (STAR) divisional head for Ranau, Jalibin Paidi.

Jalibin said, while it was never mentioned that Ranau is the poorest, the fact that it is at the centre of Sabah and that it is adjacent to the notoriously rural parts of Kota Marudu, Beluran, Tongod, Tambunan, Keningau, Kota Belud and Tuaran districts, might have concealed real facts on 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 here and there," said Jalibin in a statement issued today.

Jalibin, who is also STAR state committee member, and is said to be among the top contenders to STAR's candidate in Ranau, called on the UMNO-led state government to 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 trips to the ground do find poverty as 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 benefitted little 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.

Towards this end, he said, Karanaan assemblyman, Masidi Manjun, who is Tourism 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.