Sabah says hardcore poverty cut by 90pc in just one year, as Hajiji credits financial aid and housing push

KOTA KINABALU, April 15 – Hardcore poverty in Sabah has reduced by nearly 90 per cent over the past year, Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor said today.

The Sulaman assemblyman told the State Assembly that based on data from the national e-Kasih database, the number of hardcore poor households in Sabah dropped from 14,553 in February 2024 to just 1,464 as of February 2025.

“However, e-Kasih data is dynamic. Status changes can happen due to income fluctuations, household size, or relocation.

“That is why monitoring and follow-up are crucial to ensuring that those who have moved above the poverty line remain there,” he said during the State Legislative Assembly sitting here.

He said the government is continuously reviewing each household’s status through impact assessments, aiming to build lasting economic resilience among Sabahans.

Among the many programmes is the Sentuhan Kasih Rakyat (Syukut) programme, which provides RM300 monthly financial aid to poor and hardcore poor households for an entire year, with an initial allocation of RM358.4 million.

The payments, made quarterly in lump sums of RM900, began in February 2025. The programme is set to benefit 100,000 hardcore poor households across Sabah.

“So far, 95 per cent of approved recipients for phase one have already received the assistance, while the remaining five per cent are undergoing verification and data updates,” he said.

The second phase is from April until June.

Meanwhile, the Sabah State Data System, an online portal where unlisted but eligible individuals can apply for aid, has received over 270,000 applications.

Hajiji said that Sabah’s poverty eradication strategy had five focus areas: housing, education, employment, financial aid, and entrepreneurship.

Under the housing initiative, the state plans to construct 3,000 new Rumah Mesra SMJ units across 73 constituencies this year — adding to the 3,875 homes already completed since 2022.

In education, over RM75.5 million has been committed to 13 student aid programs — including subsidies, cash allowances, and one-off grants — aimed at supporting more than 100,000 students in 2025.