Wan Junaidi finds Budget 2018 well-balanced, comprehensive

KUCHING: Budget 2018 has been described as well-balanced and comprehensive by Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Dato Sri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar.

He said the budget would encourage economic growth through the construction of major infrastructure projects nationwide.

“To help states to generate economic growth through the development of infrastructure and high impact strategic development projects. These infrastructure and high impact projects will resuscitate the economy and generate business opportunities, employment, and market access,” he said on Friday.

The Santubong Member of Parliament said the budget would not indulge in excessive spending but work to reduce the national deficit, increase the national reserve, and sustain the nation’s competitiveness rating.

“To sustain competitiveness through enhancement of education, skills training, and encourage strategic science, technology and innovation through STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics),” he said.

“The focus is on all aspects of tourism – eco-tourism, health tourism and shopping tourism – by building strategic tourism infrastructure like hospitals and hotels among others.”

Wan Junaidi pointed out that to achieve high employment for a high income nation there are various business, enterprise and entrepreneurship initiatives.

“At the same time, the ordinary padi planters, rubber tappers, smallholder fishermen, small businesses and traders are not forgotten with funding and facilities. Business incentives are given while workers are to be taken care of too.”

Wan Junaidi added that the budget’s basic thrust is to continue national growth, while planning to ensure the sustainability of growth, happiness, and well-being of the future generation under National Transformation 2050 (TN50).

“While students and graduates are being taken care of, the budget also provides for women, children, the handicapped, and the aged,” he said.