UNDP organized a four-day mission to Sabah under the banner of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) from 4-7 January 2008 in conjunction with the visit of leading economist and Special Advisor to United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Professor Jeffrey Sachs.

The trip kicked off with site visits to several villages such as Kg. Sumangkap and  Kg. Bavanggazo in Matunggong as well as Pitas where the government is working to provide sustainable livelihoods for local communities in poverty-affected areas. The villages are involved in small-scale agriculture and cottage industries such as rubber-tapping, honey bee rearing, homestay programmes, gong craftsmanship and weaving for income.

According to UNDP statistics, Sabah still lags markedly behind the rest of the other states in the country in development outcomes. About 24% of households in the state are still living below the national poverty line income, while child poverty rates stand at 42%. More than one fifth of the population aged six and over has never been to school.

The roundtable dialogue, themed, “Overcoming Challenges and Designing Sustainable Strategies and Programmes for Poverty Alleviation in Sabah”, a collaboration between UNDP and the Centre for Poverty and Development Studies (CPDS) at the University of Malaya was held in Kota Kinabalu on 7 January 2008. 

 The dialogue brought together major actors including the government, members of the opposition parties, NGOs, academia and the media to review existing policies and discuss the way forward for Sabah in its fight against poverty.

The event was moderated by Professor Dr. Norma Mansor, Dean of the Faculty of Economics and Administration, University of Malaya and included presentations and observations by Professor Sachs, Y.B. Datuk Seri Joseph Pairin Kitingan, Deputy Chief Minister and Minister of Rural Development, Sabah, Dr. Richard Leete, UNDP Resident Representative for Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei, Associate Professor Dr. Sulochana Nair, Director of CPDS, Mr. Mat Noor Nawi, Director, Distribution Services, Economic Planning Unit, Y. Bhg Tan Sri Datuk Seri Panglima Simon Sipaun, Vice-Chairman of SUHAKAM and Ms. Claudia Lasimbang, Coordinator of PACOS. Click here for the summary report of the dialogue.

“Poverty in Sabah is compounded by high inequality and high population growth. The benefits of growth appears to have been disproportionately distributed to the richer population, while high population growth has diluted its impact on per capita income,“ said Dr. Richard Leete, UNDP Resident Representative for Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei.

“There is a need for us to step-up pro-poor investments, and to improve data collection so as to understand who the poor are, why they remain in poverty, and how we can address the problem.”

Sachs, who is currently the Director of the Earth Institute at Columbia University, was in the country in his capacity as the first holder of the Royal Professor Ungku Aziz Chair in Poverty Studies at CPDS to provide guidance to the Centre as a focal point for academic work, research consultancy and technical assistance in the field of poverty and development.

In his concluding remarks, Professor Sachs underscored the importance of sustainable development as the cornerstone of long-lasting prosperity. “Sabah is one of the most unique places on the entire planet. Overall guidelines and a coherent strategy should be formulated by the State to ensure the natural environment is preserved and protected for future generations.”

Click here for the press release. and news clippings (5.6 MB)