Loke: Sarawak should look beyond 2019 Budget

KUCHING: Sarawak should look beyond the 2019 Budget and must not be misled by certain quarters that the Federal Government has sidelined the state in the budget.

Transport Minister Anthony Loke said the people should view the budget positively that despite various challenges with national debt amounting to RM1 trillion, the government managed to maintain the allocation for Sarawak.

“We managed to allocate RM4.346 billion for Sarawak even though the country is facing financial constraints. Those who criticised us (Federal Government) by saying that the allocation is only an increase of RM10 million compared with last year, are among those who damaged the country by supporting the previous corrupt premiership,” he said, referring to leaders of the state ruling coalition, Gabungan Parti Sarawak.

He said the RM30 billion special dividend from Petroliam Nasional Bhd would be used to repay the Goods and Services Tax and income tax refunds of RM37 billion.

Therefore, the money could not be utilised for development purpose.

“We need to fully refund the money to the people, which the previous government owed for the last two to three years. Once the taxpayers receive their refunds, they can expand their businesses and boost the economy, including those from Sarawak,” he said.

Loke, who is DAP national organising secretary, was speaking at the 18th Sarawak DAP Ordinary Convention here yesterday.

Sarawak DAP chairman Chong Chieng Jen slammed the state’s Education, Science and Technological Research Minister, Michael Manyin Jawong for his ignorance over his remarks on the budget.

According to a report, Chong said Manyin expressed disappointment that Sarawak paid 15 per cent of the state’s tax revenue but received only 1.4 per cent from the total Budget.

He said the RM4.346 billion allocated to Sarawak was from the RM54.7 billion development expenditure.

“Another RM259.9 billion or 82.6 per cent was allocated for operating expenditure, including paying the salary of civil servants from federal departments and agencies.”

Chong, who is deputy domestic trade and consumer affairs minister, said Sarawak and Sabah did not receive 30 per cent allocation from the development expenditure which had been promised, due to some shortcomings.