KOTA KINABALU: Sabah is set to spend RM2.94bil next year in what is the state’s largest budget.
Chief Minister Datuk Musa Aman said the budget was aimed at strengthening the
state’s financial position while improving the people’s quality of
life.
Tabling the 2011 state budget here yesterday, he said the
Sabah government’s supply expenditure was expected to amount to
RM3.068bil while its development expenditure would total RM827mil.
Musa
said the state’s revenue for next year was projected to exceed
RM2.74bil compared to the 2010 figure of RM3bil including RM544mil from
the issuance of bonds.
He said sales tax from crude palm oil and
petroleum royalties would be contributing 60% of the state’s total
revenue for next year.
Musa said the state had no intention of imposing any new taxes in the coming year so as to not increase the public’s burden.
He
however added that the state would be actively pursuing revenue arrears
totalling RM487.14mil owed to it in the form of land rents and loan
interests as highlighted in the 2009 Auditor-General’s report.
He
said the largest chunk of the state’s development expenditure would be
allocated to the Infrastructure Development Ministry which would
receive RM354mil, the Agriculture and Food Industry Ministry (RM116mil)
and Chief Minister’s Department (RM129mil).
Musa said the special allocation for state assemblymen had been increased from RM400,000 to RM1mil.
In
addition, the state would be doubling assistance for the poor in each
state constituency from the present RM50,000 to RM100,000 yearly, Musa
added.
He said the state was presenting a cash award of RM40,000
to Sabahan weightlifter Aricco Jumitih who earned the nation a gold
medal at the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi last month.
Source : The Star by Ruben Sario
