Chong Chieng Jen
KUCHING (Nov 30): Stampin MP Chong Chieng Jen has questioned the unfair allocation of specific development expenditure for Sabah and Sarawak in the 2021 Budget.
He said the specific development expenditure for the two Bornean states was about 13 per cent of the total RM69 billion development expenditure in the 2021 National Budget, compared to 17 per cent when the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government approved the 2020 Budget.
“Even though the development expenditure has increased from RM56 billion in 2020 to RM69 billion for 2021, specific development expenditure for Sarawak and Sabah still remains at around RM9.6 billion.
“Therefore this is an injustice to Sabah and Sarawak,” the Democratic Action Party (DAP) Sarawak chairman said in his 2021 Budget debate speech in parliament today.
Chong also said despite the increase in the Prime Minister’s Department (PMD) development expenditure from RM2.93 billion in 2020 to RM7.22 billion for 2021, the allocation for the Sabah and Sarawak Affairs Division under the PMD was only at RM22 million compared to the PMD management expenditure of about RM4.47 billion.
“That is not even 0.5 per cent (of the management expenditure). And the number of posts in the Sabah and Sarawak Affairs Division is only 106 compared to the PMD with 24,000 officers.
“This shows that the Sabah and Sarawak Affairs Minister (Datuk Seri Maximus Johnity Ongkili) is the only minister who has no development expenditure under his own jurisdiction.
“This means that Sabah and Sarawak continue to be sidelined under the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government just like back during the Barisan Nasional (BN) days,” he said.
Chong also highlighted another unfairness in the 2021 Budget allocation for the development corporations (PKN) of Sarawak compared to other states.
He said Sarawak PKN was only allocated RM665,000, compared to Johor PKN which was allocated RM14 million, Kedah RM16 million, Kelantan RM7 million, Terengganu RM1 million and Sabah RM9 million.
“Even though the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) has been the kingmaker during the ‘Sheraton Move’, the PN government only appointed several GPS leaders as cabinet ministers, and showed no appreciation to Sarawak in the 2021 National Budget,” said Chong.