KOTA KINABALU: Budget 2026 tabled by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is progressive and prudent, said Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor.
He said this national budget does not overlook the interests of the various communities, especially the less fortunate.
“This budget, which focuses on the nation’s economic development, also provides an allocation for Sabah amounting to RM6.9bil that we believe will greatly benefit the state.
“Sabah is now truly being mainstreamed into Malaysia’s development,” said Hajiji after watching the tabling of the Budget.
Anwar announced that the allocation for Sabah next year was the highest ever from the federal government, among other things.
“It is the result of Sabah’s political stability under Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) and the federal government’s confidence in the state’s leadership," Hajiji added.
In the National Budget, Anwar had proposed RM765mil for the construction of the Southern Link electricity line, which Hajii said would benefit the people of Sabah as a whole.
Also included in the Budget were the repairs of infrastructure damaged during the recent natural disaster affecting Sabah, including the IPG Gaya, at a cost of RM220mil, as well as RM39mil for Phase 2 of the flood mitigation project.
Hajiji thanked the federal government for its continuous support of the Pan Borneo Sabah project with the provision of RM1.67bil for next year.
He also commended the federal government for its commitment to honour the 1963 Malaysia Agreement (MA63) and meet Sabah’s demands, including by increasing the interim special grant to RM600mil from RM300mil this year.
