Sarawak Tables Rm9 9 Billion Budget Focused On Rural Areas

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Sarawak Chief Minister Abang Johari Openg tabling the state budget today.KUCHING: The Sarawak government today tabled the 2020 state budget worth RM9.891 billion, about RM2 billion less than last year’s
In his budget speech themed “Accelerating Development for the Wellbeing of All Sarawakians”, Chief Minister Abang Johari Openg said Sarawak would continue to pursue a development agenda that uses its own mould
A total of RM6.597 billion, or 67%, has been allocated for development expenditure, with the bulk of it – some RM4.1 billion – for rural areas
The state is also allocating RM30 million to help Sarawakian students repay their National Higher Education Fund (PTPTN) loans
Other allocations include:Free hop-on hop-off school bus service within Kuching city.
RM100 million for the Village Security and Development Committee (JKKK).
RM450 allowance to help women in post-natal care.
RM3.74 billion for treated water and electricity.
RM1.45 billion to increase coverage of 24-hour rural electricity supply from 91% in 2018 to 97% by end of 2020.
RM40 million for free water programme, where every household in urban and rural areas enjoys free water for first RM5 of monthly bill.
RM90 million to build houses under the Housing Development Corporation (HDC), priced below RM300,000 a unit.
RM90 million to undertake minor repairs of B40 houses
Abang Johari also urged Putrajaya to fulfill its promise to allocate 30% of its total development budget to Sarawak, and criticised the budget tabled by Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng last month
“As announced in the federal 2020 Budget, the federal government had approved an allocation of RM4.4 billion out of RM56 billion for development budget to Sarawak
“This amount represents only 7.8% of the total federal development budget next year, and not 30% as perceived by some people,” he added
He said the 7.8% allocation was “unjustified” and biased in favour of West Malaysia
He said Sarawak had contributed significantly to the federal government’s coffers through taxes as well as oil and gas revenue
He said the RM100 million from Putrajaya to rebuild 32 dilapidated schools in Sarawak was insufficient. - FMT

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