GTP sets a new precedent for government’s budget expenditure
IN HIGH SPIRITS: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Najib Tun Razak greets participants of the ‘1Malaysia Young Entrepreneur Franchaise Programme’ held at the Matrade Exhibition and Convention Centre in Kuala Lumpur. In Sarawak, government agencies such as the Bumiputera Entrepreneurs Development Unit have come forward to aid in GTP’s LIH NKRA initiatives.
KUCHING: The Government Transformation Programme (GTP), launched in April 2009, remains on course towards its ultimate aim of transforming Malaysia into a progressive, harmonious, high-income nation by 2020.
With the announcement of the GTP Annual Report 2010 issued by the Prime Minister’s Department yesterday, the initiative is brought further by underlining the savings in budget expenditure as a performance indicator rather than on budget maximisation.
In this regard, the GTP had excelled with each National Key Results Area (NKRA) positing varying budget savings.
“Where RM5.443 billion in total was set aside for the GTP budget expenditure in 2010, the outcomes were achieved by only leveraging RM4.311 billion of the budget; thereby posting an overall savings of RM1.132 billion or 20.8 per cent in 2010,” the report said.
“Savings from last year’s budget will be utilised for this year, by which the goal is to continue this momentum of cost savings where possible – without compromising the quality and quantity of future outcomes.
“Moreover, in line with the government’s commitment to transparency and accountability, the overall NKRA performance and expenditure budget is made available here in the annual report for public scrutiny,” it added.
Of the six NKRAs, improvingon rural basic infrastructure and raising the living standards of low-income households (LIH) were the two that constituted the highest budget allocation of RM3.234 billion and RM1.17 billion, respectively.
The two areas also took up the largest utilisation of each budget allocation, about 73 per cent and 99 per cent, respectively.
“While Malaysia has made remarkable progress in fi ghting poverty these last 40 years, just under four per cent of the ‘rakyat’ are still’ classified as living in poverty.
“In managing the divide between Malaysia’s economically ‘well-off’ and the ‘disadvantaged’, the raising of living standards of LIHs was designated as an NKRA,” the report highlighted.
It also observed that last year, the lead ministry for the LIH NKRA – the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development (or better known by the acronym KPWKM) – had successfully achieved most of its outlined National Key Performance Index (NKPI) targets.
For the period ended December 31 last year, 44,643 extreme poor households were uplifted from this category – or reduced to zero per cent – while the number of poor households was also brought down signifi cantly.
Specifically in Sarawak, ancillary supports came in the form of state agencies assisting the government in the identifi cation of 1AZAM participants and the implementation of these LIH NKRA initiatives.
These agencies included the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries Development Authority of Malaysia, Bumiputera Entrepreneurs Development Unit, Sarawak Economic Development Corporation, GiatMARA, Sarawak Timber Industry Development Corporation, Bintulu Development Authority, Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority and Labour Department who had come forward to aid in the programme.
“While we made some good progress in 2010, there is still much more to be done.
“Having reduced 44,643 extreme poor households to zero per cent, we have set our sights on further reductions in the number of poor households.
“The lessons learnt and insight gained in 2010 will enable us to be successful for the remainder of Horizon 1 (2010-2012) of the GTP,” the report stated.
Another noteworthy achievement under the LIH NKRA was the initiative to train and develop 2,000 women entrepreneurs from low-income households, with a further 3,804 more still under training.
Women entrepreneurs are defined as those with a net income of RM3,500 per month or more; for a consecutive period of three months.
“KPWKM, with the cooperation of Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia (AIM) and Women Development Department, has trained and developed 2,000 women — thereby achieving our target for 2010.
“Another 3,804 candidates are currently undergoing training.
“Of this number, 1,000 are expected to complete their course by 2011 and the remainder thereafter.
“This places us on track to achieve our NKPIs for 2011 and 2012,” the report said.
Separately under the rural basic infrastructure (RBI) NKRA, most of the GTP achievements were in Sabah and Sarawak as these two states comprised more rural areas compared with Peninsular Malaysia.
Among the projects in the two states were the Tomis –Tiong–Lokos–Kotunan–Wasai road project in Tuaran; Sayong–Entabai road works in Sarikei; water treatment plant projects in Kuching and Sipitang; various electricity programmes in Kudat and Tawau in Sabah as well as Mambong in Kuching; alongside housing resettlement, restoration and new units in Sri Aman, Kanowit and Selangau in Sarawak, as well as Kota Marudu in Sabah.
“As the RBI NKRA involves tangible developments, the benefits of efforts have indeed been felt by the various rural communities.
“This has led to an overall in positive perception towards the initiatives undertaken.
“The involvement of the government in providing electricity, houses, water and roads has been welcomed by the people as enablers that will better their lives,” the annual report remarked.