KUCHING: Sarawak needs more allocation under the recently tabled 2023 National Budget, said political observer Datuk Peter Minos.
He said that Sarawak’s RM5.4 billion development allocation was less than Sabah’s RM6.3 billion despite having larger areas of land than Sabah.
“We do not know what criteria or basis is used by Kuala Lumpur. It is not explained. It was the same pattern last year where we always get less than Sabah.
“We are not being envious of Sabah, but it does not look too fair,” he said in a statement on Saturday (Oct 8).
He also said the allocation to both Sabah and Sarawak was small, given that the total expenditure for next year is RM372.36 billion.
“So RM6.3 billions to Sabah is merely 1.7 percent, and RM5.4 billion to Sarawak is 1.5 percent. Both Sabah and Sarawak deserve more.
“We need more funds for the basics like roads, electricity, treated water, clinics and such for the many still economically struggling people in the rural areas.
“Fighting real rural poverty and economic backwardness in our rural parts need lots of funds,” he pointed out.
Minos also questioned whether Sarawak is going to catch up with Peninsula with the ‘small’ funds allocated to the state.
“So, it looks like we have to rely on our own funds, which is not sufficient. We expect the federal government can and should help. It does help, but hardly enough,” he said.
He also said the constitutional equality obtained is not being matched in equality of funding from the federal side.
“If the current national budget plan or allocation continues on like this, there is very little hope that Sabah and Sarawak can ever be at par with Peninsula, economically speaking. And this does not bode us well and neither is this very good for our nation,” he said.
