Govt seeks additional fund for Supplementary Supply (2012) Bill, 2012

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IT’S NOT RIGHT: Second Minister of Finance Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh (centre) talking to reporters to clarify an accusation by Wong Ho Leng (DAP-Bukit Assek) that he was not provided with Command Paper No.7 and No.8.

KUCHING: An additional amount of RM570,893,223 is required for the Supplementary Supply (2012) Bill, 2012 by the state government for additional expenses this year, said Second Finance Minister Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh during the second reading of the Government Bill at the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) sitting here yesterday.

The motion was approved after it was seconded by Minister of Social Development Tan Sri William Mawan.

Of the additional sum, RM39,715,678 is to provide for salary adjustment effective January this year which was not taken into consideration in the 2012 budget preparation.

“The state follows the salary scheme of the federal government. The salary adjustment was made by the federal government after the 2012 State Budget was finalised, hence it was not allocated for,” Wong told reporters when met.

Another RM31,177,545 is for bonus payment that had not been budgeted.

“The 1½-month bonus was announced by the Prime Minister during his 2013 Budget Speech. Half-month bonus had been paid in August and another half month in December this year, while the balance half month will be paid in January 2013,” he said, pointing out that the amount would be paid to around 14,000 civil servants in the state.

Meanwhile, Wong, who is also Minister for Local Government and Community Development, said the remaining RM500,000,000 was for appropriation to the Development Fund Account to replenish the fund to finance future development programmes and projects.

“In Supplementary Supply (2012) Bill, 2012, this amount under B29 is considered as an expenditure item in Ordinary Expenditure.

“However, before the allocation can be utilised from Development Fund Account for specific programmes and projects, the motion has to be passed by DUN for the specific year in accordance with Standing Order 23 and as stipulated under the Development Fund Act, 1966,” he said.

Asked to comment on the accusation by Wong Ho Leng (DAP-Bukit Assek) that he was not provided with Command Paper No.7 and No.8 like the other assemblymen and assemblywomen, Wong said Ho Leng was seeking cheap publicity.

“I think he’s misleading the House because everyone has been provided with a copy of Command Paper No.7 and No.8 including his own party members,” he said, questioning why Ho Leng was the only assemblyman singled out.

“I was tabling Supplementary Supply (2012) Bill, 2012 and he kept talking about Command Paper No.10 and No.11, which was Supplementary Bill 2013 and I reminded him of that. He is deliberately or trying to mislead the House to seek cheap publicity, playing on the sentiment of the people that he has been ill treated,” Wong said, stressing that the command papers were laid on the table for all assemblymen and assemblywomen on the first day of DUN sitting (Nov 19).

“This year’s Command Paper No.7 and No.8 are of few pages so maybe he might have misplaced it. But by playing on it, I don’t think it is very fair on the House,” added Wong.