Record budget for next 2 years
CM: Sarawak cannot rely on Putrajaya to fund projects, will spend RM11 bln on roads, utility infrastructure
Government officers line up to greet Abang Johari upon his arrival at the session.
KUCHING: The Sarawak government will set aside a record budget to build roads and utility infrastructure in Sarawak within the next two years, says Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg.
When closing a three-day yearly retreat for Sarawak heads of government departments at a hotel in Batu Ferringhi, Penang on Monday, Abang Johari said about RM11 billion would be spent to build roads, bridges, and water and electricity supply facilities throughout Sarawak.
From the amount, RM2.8 billion would be spent on water supply, RM2.3 billion on electricity supply, and about RM6 billion on the coastal highway.
“We have never spent so much on infrastructure before, and this will be a record spending for Sarawak,” he said, while expressing gratitude to the key government officers who are encamped in Penang to seek ways and means to expedite the implementation of all projects approved by the Sarawak government.
In response to a recommendation to enhance the success rate and hasten the pace of projects, he announced a trust fund of RM200 million for funding, reimbursable upon confirmation of budget, for front-end phase of projects which include pre-studies and appraisals.
He reiterated, as had been announced during the Lan Berambeh 2018 in Kuala Lumpur last Saturday, that the Sarawak government had considered providing, starting next year, a grant for an undisclosed amount to every new-born Sarawakian , which could only be withdrawn upon the child reaching the age of 18.
During the retreat, the officers who were divided into clusters in their deliberations, made a series of recommendations to the Sarawak government with a view to ensure fast project delivery and enhance public services, including state-funded welfare assistance.
Abang Johari said he had found a way to bring in more revenue for Sarawak that would be used to fund the projects without spending the existing reserves.
“Just wait for my budget speech on Nov 5,” he told the officers without revealing the mechanism of how the revenue would be generated.
He said the Sarawak government had decided to fund all the approved projects as it could no longer rely on Putrajaya to fund projects for the benefit of the people.
He expressed confidence that increased public spending, coupled with consistent policies, would shore up Sarawak’s economy in the next two years.
He added that Sarawak should capitalise on the relocation of industries out of China, that is expected to happen given the possible scenario of a trade war between China and US.
Earlier, various clusters representing key aspects of project implementation made their presentations and recommendations to the chief minister and members of the Cabinet, led by State Secretary Tan Sri Datuk Amar Mohamad Morshidi Abdul Ghani.
Minister of Utilities Dato Sri Dr Stephen Rundi, Minister of Welfare Community Wellbeing, Women, Family and Childhood Development Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah, and Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah were among those present.
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