Targeted initiatives to reduce poverty, youth unemployment in Dalat, says minister

Borneo Post

2 days ago

Fatimah (seated centre) in a photocall with community leaders after the press conference.
DALAT (July 17): The Sarawak Ministry of Women, Early Childhood, and Community Wellbeing Development is intensifying efforts to tackle poverty and youth unemployment in Dalat through targeted initiatives and inter-agency collaboration, said minister Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah.
Speaking at a press conference at Kompleks Kebajikan Dalat today, Fatimah said two key meetings involving community leaders and government agencies were held to address these issues.
In the first meeting, she said they reviewed poverty data and discussed strategies to uplift affected households.
'According to data provided by the Sarawak Development Office (SDO), there are 161 households identified as poor in the Dalat area.
'All names were verified on the ground with input from community leaders and agencies present. Some were found to have exited poverty as they now own assets.
'However, before their names are officially removed from the poverty database, SDO will conduct further verification visits,' she said.
Fatimah added that assistance is being provided to eligible households through the Welfare Department and empowerment programmes.
'Some receive monthly financial aid, while others are supported under the low-income empowerment scheme through provision of equipment tailored to their specific needs, with the aim of improving their household income,' she said.
She also mentioned that households with unverifiable or outdated information will be removed from the list.
'Our KPI (key performance index) is to revisit these 161 households by year-end to assess the outcomes of our interventions,' she added.
On youth unemployment, she revealed that based on 2023 data, Dalat has 105 unemployed graduates, with 29 actively seeking employment.
'For those currently working, we are analysing the nature of their jobs and qualifications. Some are under temporary contracts,' said the Dalat rep.
To address this, she said the ministry will roll out follow-up programmes including skills training, career development workshops, and sharing sessions.
Agencies like Social Security Organisation (Perkeso) will be invited to provide job market guidance, while advisory counters and exhibition booths will be set up to support young jobseekers.
Separately, Fatimah announced that the Dalat District Office has received approval for the appointment of new community leaders and extension of terms for existing ones.
'This is part of an ongoing exercise to ensure committed and resilient leadership at the grassroots level,' she said.
She also disclosed an allocation of RM491,000 under the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) government's housing repair grant, benefitting 38 homes in local villages.
'Each village must have at least one home selected for repair, ensuring fair and equitable distribution.
'If a village has no homes in need of repair, the quota will be reallocated to another in greater need,' she said.
Fatimah praised the quality of work under the programme, likening some repairs to newly built homes.
'From 2018 to 2025, a total of 470 recipients have benefited from the Home Improvement Programme, amounting to RM6.47 million in funding,' she said. Dalat fatimah abdullah poverty targeted initiatives youth unemployment