By Nigel Edgar
KUCHING, Nov 3: Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg said the RM4 billion allocated to Sarawak in the national Budget 2019 might only be utilised to complete the Pan Borneo Highway project.
He said there seemed to be lack of details from the budget tabled by Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng yesterday, which might indicate that it could be used to complete the Pan Borneo Highway project.
Because of that, there might not be enough for other development projects in Sarawak, Abang Johari opined.
“We are thankful with the RM4 billion allocated for Sarawak’s development, but we don’t have the details of what the allocation would be used for.
“This seems to indicate that a large part of it it (RM4 billion) would be used to complete the Pan Borneo Highway projects,” Abang Johari told a press conference after chairing the Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) supreme council meeting at the party’s headquarters here today.
He added that there was no details on projects that would be carried out with the allocation including rural infrastructure development projects and the allocation to rebuild and repair dilapidated schools in the state.
Abang Johari noted that RM100 million was allocated to repair or rebuild dilapidated schools, but that would be used nationwide.
“We did submit our (state) input and recommendations for the national budget such as allocations needed to repair or rebuild dilapidated schools in the state.
“I even offered them (Putrajaya) a loan of RM1 billion but they never replied,” he said.
Earlier the state Minister of Education, Science and Technological Research Datuk Seri Michael Manyin said the state would need at least RM3 billion to repair or rebuild 904 dilapidated schools in Sarawak.
“We have nothing,” Manyin told reporters when asked to comment about the Budget 2019 earlier. — DayakDaily
