The move is just an attempt to fish for votes, says SAPP.
SAPP Youth executive council member Clement Lee contended that the hand-out was a mere political gimmick meant to give the impression that the government “suddenly” cares for the people.
“The hand-out should have been given long before BN decided to increase the price of petrol a few years back.
“We are not against this hand-out but why did it take so long and only as a one-off payment?” he asked.
The cash hand-out has raised bitter feelings in Sabah which is blessed with abundant natural resources but is yet the poorest state in the country.
Here, wages are among the lowest in Malaysia and critics claimed the federal government’s protectionist policies have driven up the cost of living in the state to its current highest level in the country.
Lee said the feeling of discrimination is palpable between those living in Sabah and Sarawak and those staying in Peninsular Malaysia.
“It has gradually emerged that the rich are getting richer while the poor are getting poorer. The disparity of income between the rich and middle class is growing larger.
“In fact, Sabah should be better developed than the 11 states in the Peninsula today. In addition, Sabah is strategically located in the heart of Southeast Asia,” he said.
He said the whole economic muddle in the state could be laid at the doorstep of the BN-led government which had failed to create a sustainable economy, forcing it to hand out RM500 to those struggling to make ends meet.
‘Hard to survive in Sabah’
According to Lee, this failure has in turn led to stagnation in employment and business opportunities for the locals while, at the same time, the influx of illegal immigrants to compete for jobs with genuine Sabahans had caused strains in society.
“This has and will continue to directly pull down wages and affect the Sabahans,” he said.
Signs of limited purchasing power of Sabahans are reflected in small and medium businesses statewide which had to shut down due to lack of business.
“Most of the young working adults find it hard to survive with the ever escalating cost of living while their salary remains stagnant,” Lee said.
Another cause for alarm in the state is the recent decision by Malaysia Airlines (MAS) to axe certain “unprofitable” routes that the tourism sector claims will greatly damage the service industry.
Tourism was identified by the government as one of the three main engines of growth in the state along with agriculture and manufacturing.
However, in a surprising move last month, MAS decided to terminate the four international flights to and from Kota Kinabalu International Airport.
“This ill-conceived move is directly affecting the local tourism industry,” Lee said.
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