KOTA KINABALU, The state government should step up effort to expedite the development of these three key sectors i.e. Pan Borneo highway, Sarawak-Sabah Link Road projects and development to catch up with Indonesia capital relocation, said Tan Sri T.C Goh, President of The Federation of Chinese Associations Sabah (FCAS).
Welcoming the RM6.5 billion allocation for Sabah under the Malaysia Madani Budget unveiled by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, on Friday, Goh hoped the federal and state governments could step up effort to expedite development of the said three key sectors, in order to accelerate progress and economic growth of the Bornean states of Sabah and Sarawak.
Goh who is also a member of the Sabah Economic Advisory Council (SEAC) was glad to note that RM6.5 billion allocation for Sabah is about 3.1 per cent more than the amount allocated in the initial 2023 Budget tabled by the previous federal government, and a 25% increase when compared to the amount of RM5.2 billion allocated to Sabah, in Budget 2022.
He especially welcomed and supported the federal government’s commitment to expedite the Pan Borneo highway and the Sarawak-Sabah Link Road projects.
“The other major sector of great economic potential which should not be neglected is the shifting of the Indonesian capital city from Jakarta to east Kalimantan, which is expected to occur in the first quarter of 2024. Sabah and Sarawak should start making strategic plans around the borders, in order to better benefit from the ‘ripple effect’ of the mega plan, eventually,” he said.
Besides the above mentioned three key sectors, he also urged the federal government to continue to focus on Sabah’s infrastructure development, including to ensure proper maintenance of the public roads and to further upgrade their standard, so as to be at par with those in other states.
He also welcomed the Federal Government’s commitment to delegate the approval of some 65 federal projects below RM50 million to technical departments in Sabah and Sarawak, in line with its aspiration to honour the Malaysia Agreement 1963. He hoped more development projects will be implemented via similar arrangement in future.
Goh, who is also President of The Federation of Sabah and Labuan Hokkien Associations (FSLHA) also welcomed the Prime Minister’s announcement to position Malaysia as a regional hub for ship building and ship repairing (SBSR) activities. Under this initiative, companies undertaking SBSR activities in Malaysia are eligible for tax incentives for a period of five years, among others.
He thus hoped such an initiative could propel greater development of the SBSR sector in the east Malaysia region.
He also hoped the Federal Government could continue to step up effort to boost the standard of the state public health sector, and infrastructure development, including internet broadband speed and penetration.
Besides this, he also welcomed the Prime Minister’s announcement that the Premier of Sarawak and the Chief Minister of Sabah has agreed to utilise part of their states’ petroleum revenue to support the federal government’s hardcore poverty eradication programme. He was optimistic that such a scheme could effectively achieve the target of poverty eradication.
He noted that, besides rolling out a series of beneficial policies to benefit the people and businesses of various sectors, the revised Budget 2023 is also well catered to the development of Sabah, as reflected in the following allocations:
· RM1 billion allocation for Sabah and Sarawak to include the construction of the Customs, Immigration, Quarantine and Security (CIQS) facility at the border town in Kalabakan in anticipation of the shifting of the Indonesian capital to Kalimantan.
Allocation of RM20 billion to expedite the more than 1,000km Pan Borneo Sabah-Sabah Sarawak Road Link project.
RM2.5 billion is allocated for Sabah and Sarawak to implement public amenity projects such as roads, streetlights, electricity and water supply.
RM30 million to add more mobile clinics, banks and courts to facilitate rural folks in Sabah, Sarawak.
·To add 42 border control posts for General Operations Force, Immigration Department, Esscom and Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency.
Out of the RM502 million allocated for cooking oil Price Stabilization Programme, RM40 million is allocated for Sabah, Labuan and Srawak, for the said purpose.
·Allocation of RM560 million for the construction of seven new schools nationwide. One of them will be SMK Dudong in Sarawak and another will be SMK Nabalu in Sabah.
·RM150 million to cities like Malacca, Kuching and Kota Kinabalu to implement Stage Bus Service Transformation programme.
RM209 million to subsidise air transportation for rural areas in east Malaysia, Sabah included.
RM 750,000 for upgrading of amenities, including wheelchair ramps, at the seven airports in east Malaysia.
