SELANGAU: Prime Minister Datuk Patinggi Ismail Sabri Yaakob has called on Malaysians to make the right choice this 15th general election.
Ismail pointed out that the government elected in GE15 must be a responsible government instead of cancelling projects in the interest of the people.
“The difference is, they cancelled (the projects). We increase allocations for the interests of the people, that is the difference between us and others.
“Therefore, don’t make the wrong choice. If it goes wrong, we (the people and residents of this country) will suffer,” he said in a press conference after the launching ceremony of Pan Borneo Highway Selangau Section and the handover of tablets to university students yesterday (Nov 14).
The Prime Minister said budget allocation for 2023 might be better if the same government is in power after the 15th general election (GE15).
He said Budget 2023 which was presented in the Dewan Rakyat must be debated and approved so that the essence of the federal budget could be implemented.
“We have announced the budget but if other political parties form the government, we cannot make sure we will have the same budget or the new government will come out with a new one.
“We cannot control this but if we have the same government, the BN government (if given the mandate) will certainly present the budget again because most of our manifesto is based on the budget presented,” he said.
Earlier in his speech, Ismail Sabri said that in Budget 2023, the federal government has allocated a total of RM5.4 billion for development projects in Sarawak.
“RM100 million for the Samalaju Phase 3 water supply infrastructure project, RM188 million for the early childhood education programme with the construction of 10 KEMAS nurseries including in Limbang, RM200 million to cover the cost of transportation and distribution of essential goods.
“We know that the price of goods in rural areas is much different from urban areas and we want to ensure that the prices of essential goods are the same in urban and rural areas,” he added.
He said that in the 2023 Budget, a sum of RM1.2 billion was allocated to upgrade the schools infrastructure involving 182 projects in Sarawak.
He said, in the 2023 Budget, the Federal government also allocated RM420 million to repair hospitals and also upgrade rural clinics in Sarawak, especially in the interior.
For the People’s Housing programme, a total of seven projects will be implemented in Sabah and Sarawak involving the construction of 3,202 low-cost houses, while 2,400 people-friendly houses will be built to help poor households in the two states.
On Oct 7, Finance Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz presented Budget 2023 which involved an allocation of RM372.3 billion.
However, it has not been approved or debated in the Dewan Rakyat following the dissolution of Parliament on Oct 10 after Ismail Sabri received the consent of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah.
