Time to channel allocation to state govt — Radin
TENOM: Budget 2018, which was tabled by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Abdul Razak on Friday, is a holistic budget for all the ethnic groups in the country.
The budget also proved the seriousness and concern of the Barisan Nasional (BN) government to bridge the income gap and improve the well-being of the people, especially in the rural areas of Sabah, Rural Development Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Radin Malleh said here.
He said the increase in allocation in Budget 2018 proved the government’s commitment to ensure that various new initiatives to be implemented would meet the needs of the multiracial people in the country.
Speaking to reporters after officiating at the meet-the-people session at Kampung Pangi here on Saturday, Radin, who is also the Melalap assemblyman, said allocations for development in Sabah such as road repairs, water and electricity supply in the rural areas, should be channelled to the state government and distributed to the district offices.
On Friday, the Prime Minister presented Budget 2018, covering Sabah’s development such as RM1 billion for road repairs, RM500 million for electricity supply and RM300 million for water supply.
He said this was because the district offices in Sabah were more aware of the needs of villages in the respective districts.
“I think it is time for the federal government, especially the Rural and Regional Development Ministry (KKLW) to channel the allocation for rural projects to the state government or the Ministry of Rural Development for distribution to the respective district offices in the state.
“We know more about the planning and requirements of the area. We also have district offices who know more about the urgent places requested by residents of the area.
“Direct distribution of the allocation to the Sabah state government will not only facilitate monitoring and efficiency but will also optimize resources and avoid leakages in the implementation of these development programs,” he said.
Radin said cooperation between government departments and agencies in organizing the meetthe-people session was very good because it was a channel to foster and strengthen ties between the villagers and leaders.
Through this program, he said the people could give their feedback on government services and this would help improve the quality of its services.
The two-day program was jointly organized by Yayasan Sabah Group North Interior zone, Melalap Community Development Leader Unit and the Tenom Information Department.
Also present were Datin Seri Panglima Angeline Tom, District Officer Madiyem Layapan, Yayasan Sabah Group North Interior Zone manager Teo Guan Leck, Melalap Community Development Leader Simon Mamat, Tenom Information Department officer Kenny Thomas and community leaders.