KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah Legislative Assembly yesterday approved the bill for RM337,423,659 in extra allocation to meet expenditure for the year 2019.
Seventeen state assemblymen debated on the bill, which according to Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Shafie Haji Apdal, was less than the RM500 million extra funding applied for last year.
Shafie reminded that it was not because the State Government has no funding, but rather it is because the government wants to be prudent in its spending and utilise its limited income or revenue for things that would be beneficial.
“That is our approach in managing the state’s finances in view of the inconsistent economy.
“It does not mean we don’t have any money at all, but we must be very prudent in how we manage the economy and finance system,” he told the August House yesterday.
The Chief Minister also reminded that there was a period when the Sabah Government was not able to pay the salaries of her civil servants and this was something the present government did not want to fall into.
In order to pay the salaries, he said the State Government had to borrow money from the central government.
Nevertheless, he acknowledged the need to bring development for the people of Sabah and the good-hearted “YBs” (assemblymen and assemblywomen) who wanted to fight for their constitutents and constituencies.
Shafie also said that about RM243,720,537 of the additional allocation would be used to fulfill the accounting requirement, whereby RM112,000,000 would be contributed to the State Statutory Fund.
“This means that only RM93,703,122 is actually involved in the cash flow during the First Supplementary Supply 2019,” he said.
The ministries receiving the most from the extra funding for expenditure are the Rural Development Ministry and the Agriculture and Food Industry Ministry.
The Rural Development Ministry will be utilising the extra funding to implement various small-scale projects at rural Sabah such as the construction of 15 hanging bridges estimated to cost RM100,000 each; the upgrade of 100 village roads costing RM50,000 each; to upgrade and construct drainage for rural zones, small bridges including walkways for houses at water villages; to construct community centres (10 units); to build 10 units of village entrepreneurs centres; and construction of low-cost housing.
Shafie also said that the largest expenditure would be to cover the maintenance costs for works on major drainage systems and irrigation and drainage works throughout Sabah. This would incur RM24,152,856 in expenditure.
At the same time, RM16,420,830 would be used under the civil service treasury of the Finance Ministry which includes the cost of medical treatment to civil servants, for repair jobs, to pay for the rental of private vehicles and for the purchase of new government vehicles.
A sum of RM8 million is allocated for disaster funds, the Head of State’s birthday celebration expenditure, as well as for the local government authorities and Sabah Sports Council.
Another RM2.5 million will be used to improve the sewerage system, he said.
The remaining RM42,626,436 will be used to finance the emolument expenditure such as arrears in salaries, overtime, leave replacement and office administration costs, he said.
Shafie who is also Sabah Finance Minister, said that RM39,757,643 had been allocated to 10 ministries.
He also said that RM1,876,280 would be used to pay for projects that had been completed last year but not paid during the 2018 financial year.
Among the assemblymen and assemblywomen who debated on the bill were Kemabong assemblyman Jamawi Jaafar, Datuk Seri Panglima Masidi Manjun of Karanaan, Datuk Jahid Jahim of Tamparuli, Paginatan’s Datuk Abidin Madingkir, Kuamut’s Datuk Masiung Banah, Pitas’ Datuk Bolkiah Ismail, Tambunan’s Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan, Sukau’s Datuk Saddi Abdul Rahman, Elopura’s Calvin Chong Ket Kiun, Klias’ Isnin Aliasnih, Balung’s Datuk Osman Jamal, Tanjong Batu’s Datuk Hamisa Samat, Likas’ Tan Lee Fatt, Kiulu’s Datuk Joniston Bangkuai and Matunggong’s Julita Majungki as well as appointed representative Loretto S. Padua.
Among others, several of the assemblymen had urged the government to increase the allocation as they have run out of funds for their respective constituency.
Jamawi (Kemabong) and Osman (Balung) were among those who said that the allocation for the assemblymen was not enough.
“Although the majority of the people living in Balung are Malays, there are also non-Malays who are Christians. They also need allocation (for their upcoming celebrations). If possible, let there be an allocation for the major festive celebrations in Sabah as a show of respect to our multi-racial and multi-religion society,” said Osman.
Osman also commented on the need to terminate unperforming contractors of government projects, and cited that the district of Tawau experiences drought during dry season and flood during rainy seasons.
“The reason for the flood is the three contractors paid to do the job, to clean up the drainage and irrigation, had failed to fulfill their obligations,” he said.
Meanwhile, Masiung has urged the government to look into the allowance received by the drivers of the state assemblymen.
He told the August house that these personnel worked according to the schedules of the elected people’s representatives and the meagre allowance of RM500 per month they received was not enough.
He added that the pay was less than the minimum pay implemented.
Saddi also commented on the issue of non-payment of allowance to the appointed village heads and urged that the issue be settled soon.
He stated that some had not received their allowance for months.
The same issue was also raised by Jahid who said that at his constituency, some village heads have not received their allowance for four months, while some have yet to receive their letter of appointment even after a year.