Selangor 2019 budget smaller than last year’s

SHAH ALAM: Mentri Besar Amirudin Shari has tabled his maiden budget, which is smaller than the previous one.

Selangor’s Budget 2019 worked out to RM2.56bil, compared to the RM3.12bil budget tabled in 2018.

Under the latest budget, RM1.28bil will go towards administrative costs and another RM1.28bil set aside for development.

Amirudin said the budget was expected to face an RM360mil deficit due to the substantive allocation towards sustainable development.

The development allocation will focus on six main thrusts – infrastructure, economy, education, social, rural and health.

The MB also announced a special payment of one month’s salary payable next month to Selangor civil servants.

Amirudin also said only low-income households, known as the B40 group, would receive free water under the 2019 Budget.

He said the amount of free water would be increased from 20 cubic metres to 25 cubic metres.

Amirudin said although all received the government-sponsored free water, the initial intent of the scheme was to help ease the hardship faced by the poor.

“The amount allocated for the free water programme in 2019 is RM80mil, and the adjustment enables the government to save RM105.2mil,” he added.

The budget also brings cheer to aspiring house buyers, with RM1bil set aside to help Selangorians own homes.

Under a scheme in partnership with Maybank, Selangor has conceptualised a rent-to-own system.