PAPAR, Sept 26 -- Sabah Rural Development Minister, Datuk Ewon Benedick hopes that the federal government will give a bigger allocation to the state in Budget 2020 to implement programmes for its rural people’s wellbeing.

He said the Sejahtera Mini Estates (Mesej), Sejahtera Villages and other villages located in remote areas of Sabah still needed not just basic facilities like roads, electricity and water supply but also comfortable homes.

“After one and a half years being with the ministry, I have visited many villages in the interior. I find that much is needed to be done not just in terms of infrastructure or social amenities but also the need to eradicate poverty by providing houses and carrying out economic programmes for those listed in e-Kasih.

“Our ministry hopes that the federal government will give us a bigger allocation for the agenda of poverty-eradication and for the wellbeing of the rural community,” he told reporters during a working visit to Kinolosodon Mesej, here, today.

Ewon, who is also Kadamaian assemblyman, said his ministry had submitted some needs of the state’s rural folk including building new homes, supplementary economic activities (AET)  in the Mesej areas, and provision of alternative electricity supply (BELBA) and alternative water supply (BALB), among the programmes.

He said his ministry also applied to the federal government for the AET programme to create additional income for the Mesej participants and other villagers be included in Budget 2020.

“This is my hope, the ministry and the rural communities’ in Sabah,” he added.

-- BERNAMA