PADAWAN: While the federal government may delay its mega projects, Sarawakians can rest assured that state government-funded mega projects will continue to be implemented.
The assurance came from none other than Sarawak’s No. 1 politician Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg today (June 28).
He was prompted for comments by the media on reports that Putrajaya might delay huge projects. The Premier was also asked on the number of such projects in Sarawak that might be affected.
“I do not know about the federal-funded mega projects, but for the state-funded projects, they will go on,” he told reporters when met after officiating at the state-level International Day of Forests 2022 celebration held at the Industrial Forest Research Centre (IFRC) here.
When a few journalists asked on the position of the state’s surplus budget to continue with the state-funded projects, Abang Johari said: “Is it true? But why do people say that we are going bankrupt?”
A Bernama report on June 27 quoted Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Economy) Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed on June 27 as saying that the government was willing to bear the projected huge subsidy totalling RM77.3 billion this year to stabilise the prices of goods and avoid high inflation rates of up to 11.4 per cent.
Mustapa said that without subsidies, the government’s financial position was better but the government had taken into consideration the needs of the people, and therefore it had to spend on subsidies for the people’s wellbeing and to help reduce their burden.
When asked if the government had postponed the implementation of mega projects to save costs, he said although there was no final decision on the matter, that was the direction to cut down on expenditures in view of the global economic crisis.
“The government has not decided yet on whether to postpone the implementation of mega projects in view of the current global situation” he said in reference to the high oil market price sand the uncertain Ukraine-Russia geopolitical crisis.
