Premier grateful for increment in special allocation

KUALA LUMPUR: Sarawak Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg expressed his gratitude to the federal government for increasing the special allocation for Sarawak and Sabah in the 2025 Budget.

“The amount has increased from RM300 million to RM600 million. The allocation for education also seems to have increased,” he said when met by reporters after a town hall session in conjunction with Lan Berambeh Anak Sarawak (LBAS) 2024 here on Saturday.

On Friday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who is also the Finance Minister, said that the government planned to double the special grants for Sarawak and Sabah to RM600 million next year.

He said that the special grant for Sarawak had not been reviewed since 1969.

“Under the MADANI government, this year (2024), we increased the allocation to RM300 million compared to RM16 million (for Sarawak) and RM125.6 million (for Sabah),” Anwar said.

During the interview, Abang Johari also expressed his gratitude for the development allocation from the federal government in the 2025 Budget, amounting to RM5.9 billion for Sarawak and RM6.7 billion for Sabah.

“Although Sarawak received less than Sabah, it’s okay, and I feel that at least we have assistance from the federal government in developing important sectors in Sarawak,” he added.

Meanwhile, during the townhall session, Abang Johari said that Sarawak has decided to use its own funding of RM500 million to kickstart the development of drainage and irrigation infrastructure for its planned high-yield paddy cultivation projects following the absence of federal funding during the 2025 Budget announcement.

“I had hoped for a budget allocation for Sarawak’s paddy cultivation projects. But kalau nadai, sik apa lah (Since there is no budget, it is okay. Sarawak will use its own resources for our rural farmers to plant paddy,” he said.

Abang Johari revealed that this initiative would be included in 2025 Sarawak State Budget, set to be tabled at the Sarawak Legislative Assembly sitting in November.