PENAMPANG: The Ministry of Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives through Bank Rakyat has allocated RM3 million this year for the implementation of the Ehsan@Kuskop programme in Sabah.
Its Minister, Datuk Ewon Benedick, said Kota Belud, Kudat and Kota Marudu will be pilot projects for the programme.
He said the three parliamentary constituencies are the poorest areas in Malaysia and each will receive RM1 million for the implementation of the programme which has already begun.
He said Ehsan@Kuskop involves educational assistance to poor students, including financing the operational costs of rural dormitories and tuition to ease the burden on parents, especially those listed in E-kasih.
Additionally, he said he does not want children to be out of school because their parents cannot afford the operational costs of rural dormitories, transportation and so on.
“Many children who live far from school are unable to get into school dormitories and are forced to stay in rural dormitories where operational costs are borne by their parents, unlike school dormitories that are funded by the government.
“These rural dormitories are sometimes built by parents and some are also built by non-governmental organisations to ensure their children do not miss out on education.
“Therefore, through Ehsan@Kuskop, we will immediately help by covering the operational costs of these rural dormitories and tuition programmes, including transportation aspects which are still under review,” he said after officiating the Penyerahan Geran Aktiviti Yayasan Bank Rakyat Kepada Sekolah-Sekolah di Penampang Ceremony, here, Thursday.
Ewon said, although the Ministry’s responsibility involves entrepreneur and cooperative development, as a leader from Sabah, he feels responsible to help with poverty issues.
On that basis, he said, the Ehsan@Kuskop programme was created in collaboration with Bank Rakyat to show his commitment to be part of efforts to eradicate poverty in Sabah.
“This is an additional responsibility that I take on because I cannot continue to remain silent hearing Sabah (especially those three parliamentary constituencies) reported as the poorest districts.
“I want to take the initiative to offer some solutions, although not complete, because the responsibility to eradicate poverty is the task of various ministries, but this (Ehsan@Kuskop) is from our Ministry.
“Appreciation to Bank Rakyat through YBR as an entity under the Ministry that has helped us a lot to ensure this programme can be realised,” he said.
At the event, the Penampang Member of Parliament, also presented contributions from Yayasan Bank Rakyat amounting to RM230,000 to 28 schools in Penampang consisting of primary, secondary and special education schools.
Each of the four secondary schools received RM10,000 while RM5,000 was given to each of the 24 primary schools and an additional RM10,000 for special education programmes in two secondary schools, here.
