2018 Budget comprehensive – Uggah
KUCHING: Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas described the 2018 Budget as a ‘comprehensive’ budget in an attempt to address all the people’s needs.
“Even babies not born yet will be taken care of. What more the needs of the people at large including farmers and fishermen. The overall budget is to alleviate and upgrade the livelihood of all strata of our society including the handicapped, small businessmen and entrepreneurs, civil servants and pensioners,” Uggah told The Borneo Post last night.
As for his ministry, the allocation of RM6.5 billion for the agriculture sector would be utilised to upgrade and elevate the income of farmers and fishermen throughout the country.
“Under the 2018 budget, there is specific allocation for new crops such as durian, coconut and corn. Sarawak with vast tracts of land still available will surely benefit from this programme.
“In the long run, we can assist our farmers to achieve high income, projected to be achievable by 2030,” he said.
Uggah who is also Minister of Modernisation of Agriculture, Native Land and Regional Development hoped the RM30 million budget will assist more natives to have titled land by next year.
“This is a continuous effort by the Federal Government to assist natives in Sarawak to get their land titled. And we hope the land owners will cooperate with the government to expedite the issuance of land titles. Oft times, the reason land titles are slow to process is due to various factors, especially land boundaries,” he pointed out.
Uggah was glad that RM500 million will be allocated to Sarawak to improve its communication facilities in tandem with the state’s target to go into the digital economy.
“And the large budget to improve rural roads with the allocation of RM500 million and another RM300 million for rural electrification will continue to spur rural transformation programmes,” he said.
Uggah also welcome the allocation of RM1 billion to repair dilapidated schools in Sarawak in next year’s budget.
“This will assist the State Government to upgrade and repair dilapidated schools in need of urgent attention,” added Uggah.
Utilities Minister Dato Sri Dr Stephen Rundi Utom said the RM620 million for the electrification of Sarawak and Sabah was reasonable.
“Sarawak would expect 5,000 households for electrification from the allocation next year if shared equally,” said Dr Rundi.