Bill passed unanimously

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No objection to Supplementary Supply (2018) Bill, 2019 tabled by Wong

 

THE Supplementary Supply (2018) Bill, 2019 was unanimously passed in the State Legislative Assembly yesterday.

The majority of the august House voted in favour of the Bill, which was read for the second and third time by Second Finance Minister Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh prior to being passed.

Based on the facts provided, the Second Supplementary Estimates of Ordinary Expenditure 2018 comprised an additional allocation of RM148,626,874; Second Supplementary Estimates of Development Expenditure 2018 (RM48,856,085); First Supplementary Estimates of Ordinary Expenditure 2019 (RM110,488,202); and First Supplementary Estimates of Development Expenditure 2019 (RM231,236,420).

Wong explained that the amount required for the Second Supplementary Estimates of Ordinary Expenditure 2018 and Second Supplementary Estimates of Development Expenditure 2018 have been vired from saving and/or advanced from the Contingencies Fund.

“The First Supplementary Estimates of Ordinary Expenditure, 2019 as contained in Command Paper No. 5 of 2019 comprising an additional sum of RM110,488,202, is laid before the House in pursuant to Article 32 of the State Constitution,” he said.

He explained this additional expenditure includes a sum of RM50 million for contribution to Statutory Funds for appropriation to the Front-End Engineering Trust Fund.

Another sum of RM60,488,202 is required to cater for various expenditures under Ministry and Department including RM10,488,202 required by the Department of Veterinary Services for the Rabies Operation and Eradication Programme 2019.

The Veterinary Public Health Ordinance 1999 and Dog Licensing and Control By-laws 2018 are also being implemented, he added.

“The mass vaccination of dogs and gazetting of rabies-infected areas will continue. As of May 2, a total of 62 areas in 11 divisions throughout Sarawak had been declared as rabies-infected except Limbang Division.

To a supplementary question by Jamilah, Sagah explained that the immune belt along the border involved maintaining the immunity level of dogs against rabies of at least 70 per cent, and to ban the import and movement of dogs from across the border.

He also said both Malaysian and Indonesian armed forces will also cooperate and increase patrols along the border.

“Controlling the movement of dogs between both countries is very important especially at the Telok Melano and Biawak areas,” he pointed out.

He also revealed that following integrated anti-rabies operations in Lundu, a total 2,559 dogs or 91.6 per cent of the estimated 2,794 dogs there had been vaccinated, while 673 stray dogs were removed.