MIRI: Telang Usan assemblyman Dennis Ngau has hailed Budget 2012 as the ‘best budget’ because it covers all areas comprehensively.
He told thesundaypost yesterday that the budget’s focus on rural areas, in particular, was especially important.
“What is more touching for us in the rural areas is the continuous effort by the Prime Minister (Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak) to look into the needs of the rural people.
“He still wants to continue building facilities for the rural areas and a lot actually of what he mentioned is for the rural areas and I am very pleased about that,” he said.
The abolishment of fees for primary and secondary schools from next year, he said, was also commendable as, in the past, many rural families could not afford to pay for their children’s education.
Dennis said the Rural Transformation Programme involving private investments, employment and economic activities as well as to provide opportunities for the younger generation to work in rural areas was also a vital step.
“This one is very appropriate for the rural areas and I sincerely hope that they can build one centre in my constituency such as in Long Lama or Long San.”
On the RM90 million for the Orang Asli in Peninsular Malaysia for basic amenities, including the expansion of clean water supply projects, Dennis said he hoped a similar allocation would be given, particularly for the Penans in Baram.
He applauded various other initiatives provided in the budget including the provision of RM51.2 billion for development and RM29.8 billion for investment in infrastructure, industrial and rural development.
He hoped those responsible for the projects would speed up their implementation so that the people would benefit.
On allegations from some quarters that the budget was a pre-election budget, Dennis said: “To me, I personally think that his budget was done so beautifully not because of the election.
“If you remember the last few years’ budgets, the budget in 2010 was based on strong financial growth for our country, similarly in 2009 and 2011, so the momentum is there.
“So the budget for 2012 is given because of the progress made in 2009, 2010 and 2011.”