Better Under Harapan Sabah Reps Hammer Budget Allocation

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DAP's Luyang assemblyperson Phoong Jin Zhe has blasted the latest Budget 2023, saying that the development expenditure ratio given to Sabah is significantly lower than it was under the Pakatan Harapan government.
"The recent Budget 2023 tabled by Finance Minister Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz is obviously an election budget to fish votes, with the highest ever development expenditure (DE) amounting to a total of RM94.3 billion.
"However, Sabah was allocated RM6.3 billion for development expenditure, 6.6 percent of the total DE.
"If you follow closely, Sabah’s DE has been reducing by ratio percentage every year," said Phoong (above) in a statement.
He cited that in 2020, the budget tabled by the Harapan government allocated 9.3 percent of the total DE to Sabah whereas, PN allocated 7.3 percent in 2021, BN allocated 6.9 percent in 2022 and 6.6 percent in 2023.
"The people must break the myth and know the truth about which government provided the most and fairer allocations for Sabah. The Harapan government and former finance Lim Guan Eng allocated the most development allocations for Sabah as proven by figures compared from previous budgets," claimed Phoong, who is also Sabah DAP secretary.
He said Chief Minister Hajiji Noor and PBS president Maximus Ongkili were celebrating the budget in an apparent attempt to sugarcoat the failure to provide a fair allocation for Sabah, which lags behind in development.
"It is disappointing to see there are opportunistic and populistic parties trying to fan sentiments that Sabah only received RM6.3 billion out of the total RM372.3 billion budget, that is totally irresponsible and misleading to gain political mileage," he said.
Phoong also argued that the operating expenditure (OE) which takes up RM272.34 billion or 73.1 percent of the budget, is not allocated based on states or regions as it includes all salaries of civil servants across Malaysia, including federal agencies in Sabah, teachers, doctors and operating expenses of public agencies, for example the public hospitals such as Hospital Queen Elizabeth in Kota Kinabalu etc.
"The Harapan government had a short lifespan of only 22 months but our records have proven to the people once again that we truly tried our best and did our best for the people of Sabah. We provided equal and fair allocations compared to the two succeeding governments of PN and BN.
"Federal government should increase an additional of RM2 billion for Sabah from the total DE to truly uphold the Keluarga Malaysia or Sabah Maju Jaya spirit or it would just end up as another political slogan only," he said.
Is it adequate?
Tawau MP Christina Liew also said she is concerned about whether the allocation is adequate to meet the state's pressing needs in respect of infrastructure development and proposed improvements for the health and education sectors.
The former deputy chief minister said she hoped the federal government would keep its pledge to give priority to enhancing Sabah's health facilities as stated by Zafrul when tabling the budget on Friday.
Finance Minister Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz"Of the RM36.1 billion allocated for the Health Ministry, a sum of RM420 million has been earmarked for repairing hospitals and dilapidated health clinics as well as for procurement of new medical equipment.
"This is for the entire nation, and not just for Sabah where some 326 health clinics are in need of immediate upgrading (as announced by Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin during his recent visit to Sabah).
"Furthermore, the Tawau Hospital and Duchess of Kent Hospital will be upgraded to be major specialist hospitals with additional specialist services.
"Similarly, I doubt whether the RM1.1 billion (from the Education Ministry's allocation of RM55.6 billion) reportedly for the repair and maintenance of all schools will be sufficient.
"This is because Sabah alone has a sizeable number of dilapidated schools awaiting restoration, especially in the rural areas," said Liew, who is also Api-Api assemblyperson.
Tawau MP Christina LiewShe also pointed out that students in Sabah, particularly those in rural schools, are still struggling with internet connection.
"Based on a media report, 52 percent of the schools here in Sabah do not even have basic internet access."
Liew said she wondered whether the RM11.7 billion allocated for infrastructure projects in Sabah and Sarawak as well as health and education facilities would be enough to cater to immediate needs.
"Some of our roads are in an atrocious state, especially on the east coast, and the Batu 32 Sandakan-Telupid stretch (that is riddled with potholes) has even become the butt of jokes among international travellers," she said.
On the so-called inclusive Budget 2023, the lawmaker lamented that it does not include an assistance scheme for flood and fire victims.
However, she hailed the finance minister's announcement that the government would improve the infrastructure at seven airports in Sabah and Sarawak, and this included building wheelchair ramps. - Mkini

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