KOTA KINABALU: A state assemblyman has urged the state government to take over the governance of the poverty household registry in Sabah.
Ewon Benedick (Upko-Kadamaian) said the federal government could provide allocations and related programmes as outlined by the state government.
Speaking at the budget debate in the state assembly, Ewon urged the Institute of Development Studies Sabah to brief all assemblymen on the findings of their research into the federal e-Kasih poverty reduction programme.
Ewon also suggested that the state government reintroduce the Rural Administration (Sabah) Ordinance by making amendments according to current needs.
“The ordinance touches on the powers and duties of native chiefs and village heads, and outlines the legal procedures and powers of the central government in rural areas.
Ewon also suggested that the state government fix a name by law for village councils so that it need not be changed every time the federal government changed policies.
In less than three years, village councils had been renamed several times, from the Village Development and Security Department to the Village Community Management Council and now the Village Development and Security Committee.