SARAWAK’S GPS State Government has just presented record breaking annual Budget on 5th November 2018 at the DUN Assembly – and it must be highly commended.
In what has been proclaimed the “biggest ever budget in Sarawak history”, Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg said a sum of RM11.91 billion has been proposed in the 2019 State Budget. This has surpassed the development budget in the federal Malaysian budget allocated to Sarawak of RM4.34 billion.
Together this would amount to more than RM16 billion – which is a lot of money to be spent in the next twelve months in a vast state like ours with only a population of 2.79 million estimated as at 2018. In effect for every head for such a development expense it would amount to RM5,828 for every man, woman and child.
The state will be spending the lion’s share of the budget to hasten the pace of rural development – of which a total of RM2.350 billion will be allocated; an amount of RM1.535 billion to what is termed as “walkabout projects”; RM500 million for Rural Transformation Projects; RM243 million for Minor Rural Projects and RM72 million for ‘Program Penanbahbaikan Rumah Miskin Sarawak’ (PPRMS).
I rather like the term “walkabout projects” which in my mind would mean that the CM and his cabinet or appointed officers when they go about making their rounds in the urban and rural areas of the state can at random feel free to grant monetary requests as they see fit to construct, repair, improve or enable any association, community or person(s) ‘anointed’ to receive such assistance or donation from the government’s coffers marked as “Walkabout Funds Treasury”.
It really sounds almost as good as the old days of Kings and Queens and their power to give and take away from their citizenry.
Perhaps someone in the appropriate authority may like to clarify or to comment further on this Budget item?
I remember that during the early days of Malaysia and whenever the Federal Government announced the annual budget it was an exciting time – as most of us were concerned and keen to know whether there’ll be any new increases in personal income tax, property gains tax and so on. The man in the street would stock up on his cigarettes, beers and whiskies – in anticipation of yet another tax increase (the so-called “sin tax”) – which were easy targets year in and year out.
The announcements of the State Budget were never as exciting because most of the budgeted funds were for development and operating expenses of the civil service and other authorities. There were seldom any new taxes or relief of taxes made by the state.
It is good that we are now seeing a big change in this area – that the state has also announced a new 5 per cent tax on all petroleum products in Sarawak starting from January 1, 2019. It is time that the state makes itself felt and be recognised as an equal partner in the federation.
Everyone too must be relieved as well to hear the CM say that this biggest ever budget does not dip into the coffers of the state’s built up over all these years – that famous RM31 billion which is money meant for a rainy day. I suppose that’s the day when the timber have all been fell and the oil wells have all run dry. Oil palm alone may not be able to save the day. We will need to look for new avenues for future income.
In the meantime, for the coming year, the funds allocated are very generous, the plans are most ambitious and the money’s all there waiting to be spent.
It is hoped that every single sen will be spent wisely, properly and fully accounted for – as many of us in the know, especially from what we ourselves have seen and experienced in the past, or otherwise have heard of as second hand news from the people who had walked the corridors of power – of how the allotted funds can be misused, diverted, unused, wasted, leaked and even pilfered.
We hear of ‘closed tenders’, overinflated pricing, of bad or even worse wrong design and engineering faults, of projects being behind schedule for months (even years!) and of course of the ever famous ‘VOs’ (Variation Orders) and claims being paid for jobs not fully completed or simply work shoddily done.
There are too many horror stories to be told, and I am sure that most of us have heard of more than a few.
If the money being budgeted is being put to its proper use, on projects diligently planned and expediently executed with a schedule for future maintenance – imagine how great things can work out for everyone. Within a very short time, and with continued good implementation, governance and proper maintenance, we can really look forward to seeing a new Sarawak – all within our lifetime.
The fault does not just lie on the government side nor with the appointed contractor, be it the architect, consultant, engineer, builder or just the manual labourer – it can sometimes be the weather, the terrain, unfortunate unforeseen circumstances and so on. But in an ideal world and with the right attitude and proper management skills many issues and problems can usually be overcome. Delays can be minimised and short supplies quickly rectified – if only all parties come together and put their heads together to get matters resolved.
It is crazy and irrational but I have heard stories of projects being delayed, stalled or even abandoned due to trivial issues – personality clashes or even just delayed or late payments!
Now that the GPS Government has given Sarawak such a generous and well endowed budget – let us urge all the parties involved to start working on it and to quickly hasten the progress especially in the rural areas where change is needed the most.
We hope and pray that there will be no more of the nonsense of the past – and that there will be no wastages, leakages and most of all no more pilferages – in any manner, style or form. God help us all to fulfil every Sarawakian’s dream of a brave new world.