MIRI: Sibuti Member of Parliament (MP) Lukanisman Awang Sauni hopes that the National Budget 2020 which is scheduled to be tabled on October 11 could restore some of the development projects slashed after the change of federal government after the 14th general election (GE) last year.
The Budget 2020 will be tabled by Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng.
“Budget 2019 is frustrating for Sarawak because many development projects which were approved by the previous federal government were cancelled or suspended. So we hope that next year’s budget would have some good things for us,” he said.
Sarawak, he said, needs bigger allocations from the federal government because after much of the allocations for certain development projects were slashed or withdrawn the state government had to take over some of the projects using its own funds.
“For example, water and electricity projects for rural areas have to implemented, so we have no choice but to use state funds to pay for them although under normal circumstances, much of the funds come from the central government,” he said when met yesterday after handing over special grants amounting to RM117,300 from Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg worth to 20 non-governmental organisations (NGOs) here.
On allegations that some of the grants were misused before, Lukanisman said they should be fully utilised for their specific purposes and not for other things.
He admitted that he had received some complaints on misuse of funds collected from members of the local community and NGOs.
“Careful evaluation will be made in future before grants are approved, and there will be continuous follow-up to ensure that the grants are managed properly,” he said.
