Explain why zero expense in Sabah rural electricity supply — MP

KOTA KINABALU: DAP member of parliament for Sandakan, Stephen Wong, demanded the federal government to explain “zero expense” in rural electricity supply under the Federal Rural and Regional Development Department for two consecutive years in 2016 and 2017 despite they were budgeted in the 2017 National Budget.

Wong took part in the budget debate under the committee stage for Federal Rural and Regional Department’s budget in the lower house of Parliament on Monday.

He said that it was initially budgeted for rural electricity supply for Sabah. According to Budget 2017, the budget to supply electricity for rural areas in Sabah is RM398 million in 2016 and RM250 million in 2017. However, he found out that in Budget 2018, these two budgeted items turned out to be “zero expense”.

He urged the ministry to come clean on why there is totally no expense for this purpose in two consecutive years.

“Although Budget 2018 is allocating RM220 million for this item, would it be ‘zero-expense’ as well in next year budget?” he asked.

Wong added, “Is it mean that the federal government literally did nothing on rural electricity supply in Sabah in 2016 and 2017? If it is real, it is jeopardizing people of Sabah.”

He said that in view of there are still many places in Sabah rural areas that are not accessible to electricity supply, the government should instead increase the budget to supply electricity for rural areas in Sabah, not cut the budget nor remove the budget for other purpose.

He called it as “unjust and unfair” for the people of Sabah, especially people who live in rural area.

“No wonder despite there are facilities such as electricity pole or transformer station that have been installed in some villages, however villagers cried foul that no electricity supply for years.”

Wong also criticized the government for cutting the budget for Sabah rural water supply from RM230 million in 2017 to RM160 million in 2018.

“Taking Impian Sabah as an example, it was proven that there are still many villages in rural areas in Sabah that are still inaccessible to treated and clean water supply. It is really shameful despite Malaysia has been formed for more than 54 years.”

Wong who is also DAP Sabah chairman, opined that the budget for rural water supply in Sabah should be increased in view that two billion ringgit of federal allocation from the federal government to the Sabah Water Department was siphoned away in the Sabah Watergate Scandal.