KUCHING: The revised Budget 2023 is devoid of any ‘wow’ factor for Sarawak, especially for its tourism industry.
Malaysian Association of Hotels (MAH) Sarawak Chapter Chairman John Teo said with a total of RM388.1 billion allocated for the national budget, Sarawak was given only RM5.6 billion.
He said this was despite Sarawak being in need of more funds to overcome the issue of sick projects as well as to ensure the Pan Borneo Highway is completed by this year.
“As announced by Sarawak Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas previously, there are 340 sick projects in Sarawak. Thus, we definitely need more funds to complete the projects.
Without sufficient allocations provided for Sarawak (under the revised Budget 2023),Teo said it will now depend very much on how the Sarawak government, especially the MPs, fight for additional funds for the ‘sick projects’.
“We need Miri Airport to be upgraded and extended further from the present capacity of handling two million passengers to three million.
The present passenger volume has already surpassed the 2.439 million passengers recorded in 2019 before the Covid-19 pandemic struck,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Sarawak Master Builders Federation has welcomed the RM5.6 billion allocated for public infrastructure development projects in Sarawak.
Its President James Ha said the allocation will ensure more projects can be rolled out since contractors are waiting for the flow of new projects to survive the difficult time ahead and help the recovery of the construction industry.
“We hope more projects under 50 million can be expedited since more implementing agencies are empowered as technical departments in Sarawak.
“For example, more dilapidated schools and clinics will be repaired or upgraded urgently and more rural roads will be built to improve connectivity,” he said.
