KUALA LUMPUR: Several Members of Parliament (MPs) from Sabah and Sarawak today urged the government to ensure a balanced development between the urban and rural areas especially in the two states through the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP).

Datuk Seri Rohani Abdul Karim (GPS-Batang Lupar) said basic facilities such as water and electricity supply, internet access and roads were much needed in large geographical areas, although the preparation process would be more challenging.

"Through the 12MP, we hope the government will look into the aspect of regulations, policy balance, social protection structures and formulation of policies in the long run," she said when debating the 12MP in the Dewan Rakyat.

The issue of balanced development was also raised by Datuk Azizah Mohd Dun (Bersatu-Beaufort) who touched on poverty in urban and rural areas.

She said poverty eradication programmes over the next five years should be focused on transparent targets and impact on the economic position of the target group, besides empowering young people who are unable to pursue their education to tertiary level.

Meanwhile, Lukanisman Awang Sauni (GPS-Sibuti) said the challenge in providing balanced development to Sabah and Sarawak was mostly due to the lack of data integration and less effective coordination in terms of monitoring and securing development.

"Why after 58 years of Malaysia being formed, the issue of collaboration is still a major obstacle? Should the aspect of integration between the federal and state governments be reviewed and re-engineered in order to create unity under the Malaysian Family umbrella?

"It hurts when districts of Sarawak still become a topic of discussion in many places but there is still no best mechanisms to resolve the larger issue related to more inclusive rural development," he said.

Similarly, Ahmad Hassan (Warisan-Papar) said the inequality in the physical, social and economic development of Sabah and Sarawak with the peninsula could not be resolved as long as the demands in the Malaysia Agreement 1963 were not fulfilled by the federal government.

Touching on the connectivity issue in Sabah and Sarawak, Datuk Rozman Isli (Warisan-Labuan) said ports and airports connected with highways or railways were needed in order to attract more investments to the two states.

"In boosting digitisation and technology, please make sure that Sabah and Sarawak will also have internet speed and stability that is on par with the peninsula," he said.

-- BERNAMA