Record budget for Sarawak to be known on Nov 5 – Abg Johari
BINTULU: Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg said the State Budget 2019 that he is expected to table during the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) sitting will be a record budget for Sarawak.
He said it will complete his long term development plans for Sarawak under his new Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) government.
Abang Johari said some people had asked him on how to get more money for billions worth of allocations for various infrastructure development projects which is not an easy task.
“I will announce the plans next month, that is my trade secret. If I announce too early what will Putrajaya say? On November 5 when I present the state budget, that will be a record budget for Sarawak,” he said when officiating at the official closing of the seventh Iban Cultural Symposium in Bintulu on Saturday.
He was responding to one of the seven resolutions highlighted earlier by Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas, particularly on matters pertaining to the big funding and source of income needed by Sarawak government to implement various development projects especially on rural infrastructure.
At the same time, the chief minister also announced that every newborn Sarawakian will soon be given financial assistance for their education effective next year.
“Next year all newborn Sarawakians will be given assistance, I will announce the amount on November 5 and it is part of the social safety net that will be implemented,” he said.
He added this assistance can be used to pay their registration fee to enter university or as a capital to start small business.
“We have to be united, consistent with our policies, that is why after GE14, I decided to leave Barisan Nasional because Sarawak can only be managed by Sarawakians,” said Abang Johari.
He therefore congratulated Uggah and his committee for successfully organising the Iban cultural symposium to discuss the various issues affecting the Iban community.
“The feedback must be given to us, for us to formulate policies, if not it doesn’t match with the aspiration of the people,” he said.
Abang Johari said he took heed of the issues of the Iban community as mentioned by Uggah through the resolutions.
He assured that his government practised collective leadership, and any decisions that concerned Sarawakians’ rights would not be decided only by him as it should be mutually agreed to by the State Cabinet.
“If not suitable we will rectify it, find the solution in one common spirit. In this symposium you shared a common objective to upgrade the wellbeing of the Iban.
“We are very inclusive in the aspect of land reform, if not enough land surveyors, we add more, find solution, I can give more money to Uggah to survey the land, the outstanding NCR (Native Customary Rights). Later on I share how to make money.
“I concur that we must have extra fund to survey all the outstanding NCR land,” said Abang Johari.
He also urged NCR landowners to add economic value to their idle land by developing it with new agriculture technology.
To add value to the land, he suggested that they must have certain objectives on what to do with the land as an income generating asset.
“That is why when we have reform of the land, on ‘pemakai menoa’ and ‘pulau galau’, we said the land must be given title, and that land must not be sold,” he said.
However, he acknowledged that there were cases when the land had been transacted, before the title was issued.
On the economic side, Abang Johari congratulated the Dayak Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) for the important roles it had played in assisting Iban entrepreneurs.
He said the business community will be able to explore the existing opportunities and the state government allocated RM900 million every year for the 72 state constituencies under the Rural Transformation Programme (RTP) to develop infrastructure.
Abang Johari also assured that he and Uggah would work together to make sure there is equality and inclusivity in the state civil service by promoting people not based on racial background but rather on merit.
On the Native Court, he said the court has to be elevated; thus a thorough study must be conducted to make it equivalent to civil and syariah court.
Among those present at the event were Minister of Utilities Dato Sri Dr Stephen Rundi Utom, Sarawak science research advisor Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Alfred Jabu Numpang, DCCI president Datuk Joseph Salang Gandum, symposium organising committee chairman Datuk Alexander Nanta Linggi and state assistant ministers.