KOTA KINABALU, Sept 19 — The Perikatan Nasional (PN) government will prioritise the efforts to reduce the poverty rate in Sabah in the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP).

In fact, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed said the federal government has set up a cabinet committee to ensure that the efforts would be carried out in proper and effective manner.

He said the committee, which will be chaired by Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, would give their proposals on measures to tackle poverty issues to the Economic Planning Unit (EPU).

"According to the Statistics Department’s data, the national poverty rate currently stood at 5.6 per cent, while in Sabah, 19.5 per cent.

"Starting next year, under the 12MP, we will use the latest data to formulate a policy to tackle poverty issues,” he told a press conference here today.

Mustapa said the department’s data also showed that the districts with highest poverty rates in Sabah were Tongod, Pitas and Kota Marudu, which are around 50 per cent.

Hence, he said the 12MP, which will be tabled in Parliament early next year, would be the first phase of the government’s efforts to create a new concept through the Shared Prosperity Vision (WKB) 2030.

WKB will be used as the basis for the implementation of sustainable development over the next 10 years, he added. — Bernama