KOTA KINABALU: Sabah sees Budget 2023 as a step towards resolving outstanding perennial issues ranging from poverty to infrastructure needs.
State Finance Minister Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun said that many initiatives under Budget 2023 were targeted assistance for the lower income group that would benefit many people in the state.
"The initiatives for the lower income groups will help in managing the increase in high cost of living. Many in Sabah would benefit from these initiatives," he said in response to the Budget tabled by Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on Friday (Feb 24).
On the Budget providing RM20bil for Pan Borneo Highway and Sabah-Sarawak link road, Masidi said the state hopes that the continuation of the much talked about Pan Borneo Highway would finally take off and become a reality.
"Sabah is behind Sarawak in implementation; so (with the Budget) we can have a good network of quality roads in Sabah," he added.
Chief Minister Datuk Hajiji Noor also welcomed the Federal Government's commitment to expedite the 1,000km Pan Borneo road project.
Hajiji noted there was serious consideration under the Budget as Anwar had instructed Deputy Prime Minister II Datuk Seri Fadilah Yusof to oversee the Pan Borneo Highway project and ensure it would not continue to be discussed in every Budget sitting for another 20 years.
Hajiji said that Budget 2023 reflected the government's commitment to remedy the country's financial standing that takes care of the people’s needs across the board.
"We welcome the RM6.5bil allocation for Sabah, which is about 3.1% more than the amount allocated in the initial 2023 Budget tabled by the previous Federal Government," he said.
In addition, he said another RM2.5bil is allocated for Sabah and Sarawak to implement public amenity projects such as roads, streetlights, electricity and water supply.
The Chief Minister also welcomed Anwar's assertion on the Federal Government's commitment to delegate the approval of federal projects below RM50mil to technical departments in Sabah and Sarawak.
Hajiji also welcomed the Prime Minister's commitment that the RM1bil allocation for Sabah and Sarawak would include the construction of the Customs, Immigration, Quarantine and Security (CIQS) facility at the border town in Kalabakan in anticipation of the shifting of the Indonesian capital to Kalimantan.
"Nonetheless, Sabah will also continue to press for the construction of a similar facility at Bantul in Pensiangan," he said.
On Anwar's commitment to expedite the eradication of hardcore poverty in the country through the People's Income Initiative (IPR) this year, Hajiji said it was a good move and at the same time hoped for an efficient implementation of the IPR to achieve its goal.
The Chief Minister was glad to note the Federal Government's emphasis on security enhancement with an additional 42 security posts at the border, including in the Esscom area, among others.
