The 12th Malaysia Plan has stated that 50 percent of the total basic development expenditure, will be channelled to the states of Kedah, Kelantan, Perlis, Terengganu, Sabah and Sarawak. The rationale being to narrow the development gap. Dr Francis Hutchinson, Senior Fellow at the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute gives a history lesson whilst telling us what the solutions are.

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