By Chris Bishop
KUCHING, Nov 8: The 2021 State Budget will still be development-biased but with the percentage for development slightly reduced as compared to previous years.
This is revealed by Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg at a press conference after Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) pre-council meeting held at Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) headquarters here.
“The State budget, wait for tomorrow but I can give you the gist. It is a development budget, just like before and also rural-biased.
“More or less, it is 70-30 (70 per cent for development, 30 per cent for operating expenditure). It could be slightly less, because of Covid-19,” said Abang Johari.
He clarified that when he said “less”, it meant “slightly less” such as 70 per cent being reduced to 68 per cent while operating expenditure will take up 22 per cent as allocations needed to be given to Covid-19 counter measures.
Sarawak’s budgets had always been development-oriented due to the great needs in the rural areas.
For Sarawak Budget 2020, a total of RM9.89 billion was allocated of which RM6.6 billion was for development expenditure while the remaining RM3.3 billion was for operating expenditure. — DayakDaily
