Media Statement By YB Chong Chieng Jen:
Sarawak Household Income
Despite all the hype by the GPS Government about how rich Sarawak is, the latest data from the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) shows that both the mean and median household income of Sarawakians are below par compared to the other 12 states and 3 territories in Malaysia.
According to the DOSM figure for year 2022, Sarawak’s mean household income was RM6,457 while the national average was RM8,479. Sarawak’s mean household income ranked the 10th out of the 13 States and 3 Wilayah Persekutuan. Wilayah Persekutuan Labuan topped the mean household income of RM13,473, followed by Kuala Lumpur (RM13,473), Selangor (12,233), Johor (RM8,517), Pulau Pinang (RM8,267), W.P. Labuan (RM8,250), Melaka (RM8,057), Terengganu (RM7,248) and Negeri Sembilan (RM6,788).
The median household income which represents the largest group of Sarawakian families’ income level was even much lower at RM4,978.
In fact, in an answer given by the Special Function Minister in Parliament in July, 2022, Sarawak has more than 97,000 households living in poverty, with 40,000 of them living in “hardcore poverty” category. In June, economic affairs minister Mustapa Mohamed revealed that Sabah and Sarawak were among the states that had the highest increases in poverty rates.
It is the biggest irony that in the face of such high poverty rates amongst Sarawak households, yet, the State boasted of the 4th highest GDP State in Malaysia. The only conclusion to this abnormal “Rich State Poor People” phenomena is that the riches of the State did not benefit the common people in the street.
Therefore, while the ministers are chauffeured in their expensive posh imported cars, some with outriders escorting, you should be thinking more about how to use your position to enrich the people.
