KOTA KINABALU: The special allocation to solve Labuan’s long-standing water woes announced for Budget 2024 is much-awaited good news, says Labuan PBS.
Labuan Parti Bersatu Sabah division chief Datuk Peter Mak in welcoming and praising the Budget, said people can now breathe a sigh of relief following Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s announcement.
“No doubt, this is a much-awaited relief as Labuan and its residents seemed to have been neglected in previous budgets, at least when it concerned the adequate and reliable supply of this basic utility,” he said.
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He said solving Labuan's water woes is of utmost importance, both to the residents and in support of an expansion of industrial activities, which will undoubtedly bring about long-term benefits to the island including the creation of employment opportunities.
Mak said PBS Labuan was also thankful to the Prime Minister for enhancing Labuan as an International Business and Financial Center (IBFC) by providing full tax exemption for five years to Labuan entities undertaking activities related to Islamic finance.
He said they believe this incentive would further spur Labuan's standing in the global offshore financing sector.
“PBS Labuan views the attention given to Labuan in Budget 2024 as very encouraging and wishes to record our thanks to the Prime Minister for listening to the plight of the local populace.
“We also wish to record our appreciation to Senator Tan Sri Anifah Aman, who is also the Labuan Corporation chairman, for highlighting issues affecting the people on the island to the Federal Government’s attention,” Mak said.
