Borneo Post Online file photo showing the Sarawak stretch of the Pan Borneo Highway.
KUCHING: The state government is looking to talk with Putrajaya over the allocation for Pan Borneo Highway project which appeared to have been subtracted from its infrastructure development annual budget.
According to Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem, the state was under the notion that the RM16 billion federal fund to build the Sarawak stretch of the highway was a separate allocation on top of the normal given amount.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak announced the construction of the Pan Borneo Highway when he unveiled Barisan Nasional’s manifesto on April 6, 2013. Najib, who is also Finance Minister, cemented this promise when he included the construction of the highway in the 2015 Budget.
“I have expected the budget for the Pan Borneo Highway to be above and beyond the usual development effort. Now, they (Putrajaya) seem to have included the budget for the Pan Borneo Highway at the expense of our obligation to develop infrastructure. I am pursuing this point, I want it (the budget) to be above what they usually provide for us,” Adenan said when delivering his winding-up speech at the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) yesterday.
When responding to Chong Chieng Jen’s (DAP-Kota Sentosa) interjection whether the state was aware of such arrangement, Adenan admitted to have known the matter before the state election but explained he was under the impression the budget would not be subtracted from the state’s usual development fund.
Chong believed such arrangement ought to be known by the state government, considering that the national Budget 2016 was tabled and approved last year. Adding that the state has been taken for a ride, he demanded the chief minister to pressure Putrajaya to ensure there would not be a repeat of such arrangement.
On development, Adenan acknowledged that Sarawak was still behind when compared to other developed states in the peninsula. He said he had raised the matter numerous times with the prime minister and was content with Putrajaya’s commitment to narrow the development gap between the state and Peninsular Malaysia.
“In respect to road connectivity, we only have 32,000 km, 80 per cent water supply and 90 per cent electricity supply coverage. Our telecommunication coverage is still low with many blind spots which are more apparent in the rural areas. All these figures can be true in one sense when we talk about urban areas but not so in the rural areas.
“You’ll be happy if you can have 50 per cent (telecommunication coverage) in the rural areas. The same goes to treated water supply, electricity and road connectivity.”
He added that many rural schools in the state were in poor condition, which was among the factors that impacted the academic performance of rural students.
“In addition, there are still settlements in the remote areas that do not have access to proper healthcare services. The only means for the rural community to get basic healthcare services is through flying doctors and mobile clinics.”
Being the largest state in the country, with rugged terrain intertwined with many rivers, he stressed the need for Sarawak to have substantial funding to implement development projects.
“By large, many of these projects are basic infrastructure such as roads, bridges, wharves and jetties, water and electricity supplies as well as social amenities such as schools, hospitals and clinics.
With more people migrating to the urban areas seeking better employment and business opportunities, the state is experiencing rapid urbanisation. This poses challenges in urban planning and development especially in the areas of housing, public transport, waste and sewerage management, flood mitigation, public spaces, education, training, health facilities and other urban amenities. These challenges demonstrate the magnitude of funding required especially in the form of public investment.”
He said from the First Malaysia Plan up to the 11th Malaysia Plan, the state government had allocated RM80.3 billion to implement development programmes and projects in the state while the federal government allocated RM70 billion.
“In total, RM150.3 billion had been channelled to spur the state’s development.”
Adenan deemed the amount as insufficient to cover the whole state and said he will aggressively pursue more development funding from Putrajaya.