Sarawak gets lion’s share
KUCHING: Sarawak has received RM1.102 billion in federal funding to implement various rural development projects and programmes this year.
Minister of Rural and Regional Development Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said among the projects which were given allocation under the third rolling plan of the 11th Malaysia Plan (11MP) were Rural Power Supply (RM400 million), Rural Water Supply (RM138.04 million), Rural Roads (RM136.90 million), Village Roads Programme (RM38 million) and Social Amenities Programme (RM7 million).
Allocation were also channelled to agencies under the state government namely Agriculture Department (RM17.84 million), Sarawak Land Development Board (RM3 million), Bintulu Development Authority (RM4 million) and Sarawak Land Consolidation and Rehabilitation Authority (Salcra) (RM18.6 million).
Last year, RM1.06 billion was spent to implement 81 projects approved under the second rolling plan of 11th MP, whereby nine of the projects had been completed and 72 still on-going.
Ismail Sabri said that under Budget 2018, RM9.84 billion had been allocated for the ministry and from the amount, RM5.61 billion or 59 per cent is set for Management Budget while RM3.87 billion (41 per cent) for Development Budget.
“Peninsular Malaysia received RM1.840 billion (47.57 per cent), Sarawak RM1.102 billion (28.48 per cent) and Sabah RM926.27 million (23.93 per cent).”
He said this at a press conference after chairing the Highest Joint Committee meeting and Project Planning and Monitoring between the ministry and its Sarawak counterpart here yesterday.
The meeting was aimed at enhancing coordination and synergy between federal and state ministries in planning, implementation and keeping track of rural development in order to maximise efficiency and impact on targeted groups, especially those in the rural areas.
The meeting was jointly chaired by Ismail Sabri and Minister of Modernisation of Agriculture, Native Land and Regional Development Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah.
The Development Budget, Ismail Sabri said, would be utilised to implement 650 development projects involving 178 new projects and 472 on-going projects in the country.
On the meeting, Ismail Sabri said it was an important platform to get feedback from the local leaders who knew best what was needed for Sarawak.
“Three papers were, meanwhile, tabled in the meeting while among matters discussed included the status of projects implemented in 2017, the way forward, rural development direction in Sarawak, and performance and implementation issues faced by ministry.”
Ismail Sabri assured Sarawak that the ministry was committed to ensure the successful implementation of all development projects and programmes.
Deputy Minister of Rural and Regional Development Datuk Alexander Nanta Linggi, its secretary-general Datuk Borhan Dolah, deputy secretary-general (development) Dato Azizan Mohamad Sidin, Minister of Utilities Dato Sri Dr Stephen Rundi, Assistant Minister of Agriculture Dr Abdul Rahman Ismail, Assistant Minister of Native Land Development Datuk Roland Sagah, State Federal Secretary Dato Mansor Man and Deputy State Secretary Datu Jaul Samion were among those present at the meeting.