BY SARAH HAFIZAH CHANDRA & NOOR SYAHHIRA HADY
PREMIER Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg today (Nov 21) tabled a State Budget of RM10.797 billion for 2023.
Out of the RM10.797 billion budgeted for Ordinary Expenditure, he said a sum of RM3.997 billion has been allocated for Operating Expenditure while RM6.8 billion is set aside for appropriation to the Development Fund Account to finance the implementation of various development programmes and projects.
“The budgeted Operating Expenditure of RM3.997 billion comprises of RM938 million or 24 percent for personnel emoluments; RM1.508 billion or 38 percent for supplies and services; RM1.343 billion or 34 percent for grants and fixed payments; which includes operating grants to Statutory Bodies and local authorities, servicing of public debts and payments of gratuities, pensions, scholarships, including financial and welfare assistances; RM90 million for procurement of assets; and RM118 million for other operating expenses.”
He said this when tabling the Supply (2023) Bill, 2022 at Sarawak State Legislative Assembly (DUN) sitting on Monday (Nov 21).
On the Budget Surplus 2023, Abang Johari said he was pleased to inform the august House that with the projected revenue of RM11.035 billion and total Ordinary Expenditure of RM10.797 billion, the 2023 State Budget is expected to generate a surplus of RM238 million.
“It will continue to be an expansionary Budget that invests heavily in infrastructures and places the wellbeing of the rakyat at its centrepiece,” he said.
As for the Development Expenditure 2023, Abang Johari reiterated that the 2023 State Budget will continue to be a development-oriented budget and rural focus.
He revealed that a sum of RM7.506 billion is proposed under the Development Expenditure Estimates for 2023 whereby RM4.540 billion or 60 percent will be for development in rural areas.
“This estimate has taken into consideration among other our commitment to complete the implementation of numerous on-going projects, our capacity to implement projects during the year as well as our priority to undertake catalytic, high impact and people-centric projects,” he said.
In this regard, he said the state government will introduce a Value Management Framework in our process of planning, evaluating, and undertaking projects of a certain threshold.
“Under this framework, various key stakeholders shall be involved in deriving and reaching a decision on the optimum balance of project benefits vis-à-vis project costs and risks,” he added.
