Sabah Assembly passes Supplementary Supply Bill amounting to over RM1 billion

KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah state assembly today approved the Supplementary Supply Bill 2024 amounting to over RM1 billion from the Consolidated Fund.

The bill, tabled by State Finance Minister Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun, garnered majority support after debate by 17 assemblymen.

Masidi emphasised its crucial role in facilitating state government administrative operations until year-end, categorised into six expenditure segments, including RM295 million for the state development trust fund, RM288 million for operational expenses, and RM173 million for administrative costs.

“In addition, special allocations amount to RM101 million, while investment expenditure totals RM80 million, with a final category of RM64 million allocated for grant disbursements,” he said when tabling the bill.

Masidi said the State Finance Ministry has been allocated RM529 million, with RM295 million as an addition to the Statutory Fund aimed at reducing the deficit in the development account, which does not involve actual expenditure and contributions to the Trust Fund.

RM124 million, meanwhile, is allocated to fund infrastructure and utility projects, strengthening of riverbanks, public facility construction and maintenance, as well as operational and administrative expenses.

Masidi also detailed an additional allocation of RM204.9 million to the Works Ministry for the upkeep and repair of government buildings, treatment plants, sedimentation tanks, concession contracts and remaining expenses covering administrative and operational costs.

“An additional RM109.9 million is earmarked for the Chief Minister’s Department to fund scholarships, one-time flight tickets for students in Peninsular Malaysia, Sarawak and Labuan, and the maintenance of mosques, surau, orphanages and cemeteries,” he added.

Additional allocations include RM55.9 million for the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Industry, RM32.1 million for the Local Government and Housing Ministry, RM31.9 million for the Youth and Sports Ministry and RM39.9 million for other state ministries and departments.

Masidi said development spending requires an additional allocation of more than RM230 million across 11 ministries this year.

He said RM221.93 million is allocated under the Sabah State Fund while RM5.51 million is for Federal repayment payments, and the remaining RM3.45 million is for Federal loan financing.

“The largest portion under the estimated development addition, RM100.36 million, is allocated to the Ministry of Rural Development for small-scale development projects, special allocations for assemblymen, and Additional Economic Activities (AET) programmes,” he said.

An additional RM70.46 million is allocated to the Chief Minister’s Department for land acquisition projects, reconstruction of Sabah State Forestry archive buildings, special development projects and the construction of new mosques and religious schools.

An additional RM3.45 million is allocated to the Sabah Land Development Board for Federal loan financing repayments, RM19.6 million to the Sabah Ministry of Works for ongoing projects by the Public Works Department, and payment for water concessions supervised by the Sabah Water Department.

The Sabah Ministry of Youth and Sports is allocated an additional RM7.15 million for the construction and maintenance of sports complexes in Sabah, while RM5.16 million is allocated to the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Environment.