KOTA KINABALU, Oct 7 — The Gabungan Rakyat Sabah government welcomed the RM6.3 billion allocation for the under Budget 2023, noting it was 20.45 per cent more than this year.
Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor said that the increase was reflective of the government’s desire to see Sabah progress.
“The national 2023 Budget is consistent with the federal government’s commitment to ensure no one is left out in the mainstream development,” he said after watching the live telecast of Finance Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz tabling the Budget.
“I would like to congratulate the federal government, especially the prime minister and finance minister. It is a continuation of the momentum of the nation’s recovery from the pandemic, which is now in the endemic phase and the state government welcomes such an inclusive Budget,” said Hajiji.
He also praised the allocation to improve the country’s security with upgrades at ESSCom Lahad Datu as well as providing additional security assets and construction of a field hospital next year.
Tengku Zafrul also allocated RM1.2 billion to repair dilapidated schools that included 123 projects in Sabah as well as another RM430 million to build five new schools nationwide that also included a school in Sabah namely SMK Nabalu in Kiulu next year.
The finance minister also reiterated the government commitment on the Pan Borneo Highway project in Sabah, which is expected to be completed in 2024.
Also mentioned was the construction of the road connecting Kalabakan to Simanggaris in Indonesia and RM250 million would be allocated for developing the Sepanggar Bay Container Port next year.
“Sabah also welcomes the federal government’s commitment to helping ease the hardship of the people that can be seen through the Bantuan Keluarga Malaysia (BKM) involving more than RM10 billion next year,” said Hajiji.
Hajiji also welcomed the electricity subsidy of up to RM40 to households in the e-kaseh list and initiatives for the tourism sector, which is a major income earner for the state.
