KOTA KINABALU: The achievement of the Economic Development Programme (PPE), one of the programmes to eradicate poverty under the Sabah Rural Development Ministry, is satisfactory because 16 or 64 percent of the 25 sample projects involving 216 participants were successfully continued.
However, the Second Series of the 2013 Auditor-General’s Report stated that several weaknesses were found in implementations such as failing to continue projects or not yet operating, construction not following specifications and equipment could not be used and the facilities provided incomplete.
“In terms of the performance of the programme, the report mentioned that from 2011 to 2012, 84 PPE projects were implemented in 17 districts in Sabah.
For the purpose of auditing, 25 PPE projects amounting to RM3.52 million in six districts, namely Pitas, Kota Marudu, Tambunan, Sandakan, Lahad Datu and Kunak were selected as samples involving 375 participants other than providing training/guidance, seeds, equipment and project facilities.
An analysis of the audit found 16 of 25 PPE or 64 percent of the projects were still being continued while seven or 28 percent of the projects failed involving ground nuts, cili padi, shitake mushrooms, seaweeds and ducks for eggs. Two or eight percent of projects were not yet operational, namely, milling padi and seaweeds from 2012 to Oct 2013,” said the report.
According to the report, the Auditors found 16 PPE projects which were continued by 216 supporters were plantng of ground nuts, cili padi, ginger, shitake mushrooms, duck for eggs, barramundi (siakap), mangrove crab, and sparrow.
“An interview of Audit with 31 participants found they sold their produce themselves at the nearby markets,” said the report.
But the report said no record was maintained on the income of each participant to evaluate and confirm if there was an increase in their income as of Oct 2013, the PPE project which were continued had yet to succeed in extricating the participants from hardcore poverty.
The report also stated that seven of the 25 PPE projects which failed involved 135 participants for the planting of ground nuts, cili padi, shitake mushrooms, seaweeds and rearing of ducks for eggs.
The result of the Audit interview found that the failures of projects were caused by diseases, drought while participants’ income could not meet subsistence costs, unsuitable locations and exorbitant costs of feeds. — BERNAMA