KOTA KINABALU: The large allocation given to Sabah under Budget 2023 shows that the Federal Government is attentive to the needs of people in the state especially in the rural areas, says Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin.
The Sabah Deputy Chief Minister said the RM6.3bil development allocation was a welcome increase from the previous year's RM5.16bil.
He said it would definitely help implement the Sabah Maju Jaya development plan.
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"This shows that the government is sensitive to the needs of residents in rural areas in Sabah who yearn for development," he said in a statement on Monday (Oct 10).
He added that the amount also showed Sabah has not been sidelined by Putrajaya.
Bung Moktar, who is also Sabah Works Minister, likewise welcomed the RM2.55bil allocation for the improvement of rural infrastructure, with a focus on areas in Sabah and Sarawak.
He said he hoped the funds would be utilised to resolve the perennial problems such as water and electricity supply, roads and bridges, among others that plague the state's far-flung areas.
He also called on the Federal Government to earmark part of the RM16.5bil allocation to the transport sector for the completion of the Pan Borneo Highway project in Sabah which is due to be completed in 2024.
"The state government is hoping the project (is) given due attention as its progress is slower (here) compared to Sarawak," he said.
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According to Bung Moktar, completion of the highway, coupled with the construction of a road from Kalabakan in Sabah's east coast to Simanggaris in Indonesia; as well as the development of the Sepanggar Bay container port near here; will provide better infrastructure to the people and boost economic development in the state.
"With Indonesia shifting its capital city to East Kalimantan, its residents are expected to flock in droves there from the Java islands and this will inevitably trigger economic spin-off for Sabah especially in the east coast areas," he said.
Towards this end, he reiterated his previous suggestion that the allocation be directly channelled to the Sabah government to disburse the funds to the concerned state departments and agencies.
"This is to ensure smooth and quick implementation of projects in the state as only the Sabah government will know the demography and the needs of its people better," he said.
