By Marlynda Meraw
KUCHING, May 28: Sarawak has received RM4.3 billion in revenue as of April this year, representing 30 per cent of the State’s projected RM14.2 billion revenue for 2025, says Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas.
According to him, the revenue was mainly driven by the State Sales Tax (SST), cash compensation for oil and gas (O&G) rights, and dividends.
The largest single contributor was SST, amounting to RM1.76 billion, followed by RM1.17 billion from compensation in lieu of O&G rights. Other major components included RM608 million in dividends, RM250 million in interest income, and RM229 million from raw water royalty.
Additional sources comprised RM65 million in forestry receipts, RM59 million in land premiums, RM25 million in federal grants and reimbursements, and RM137 million from other income such as mining royalties, water sales, and land rents.
As of April, Sarawak has expended RM3.68 billion or 27 per cent of its approved Ordinary Expenditure and RM1.44 billion (13 per cent) of its Development Expenditure.
“These expenditures are anticipated to increase in the later half of the year, coinciding with the progress of programmes and projects execution,” Uggah, who is also the Second Minister for Finance and New Economy, said during his ministerial winding-up speech at the Sarawak Legislative Assembly (DUS) sitting today.
He shared that back in 2024, Sarawak recorded its highest revenue in history, collecting RM14.187 billion, an increase of RM876 million or seven per cent from RM13.31 billion in 2023.
Uggah attributed the surge to continued success under the State’s revenue re-engineering strategy.
“This outstanding accomplishment is a result of our ongoing efforts in revenue re-engineering, initiated and led by our YAB Premier (Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg),” he said.
For the record, the SST on O&G has contributed RM21.38 billion to Sarawak’s coffers since its introduction in January 2019, as of April 2025.
On expenditure in 2024, Sarawak spent RM12.71 billion in total under Ordinary Expenditure. Of that, RM4.91 billion was spent on operating costs, while RM7.8 billion was appropriated to the Development Funds Account to implement development programmes and projects.
Meanwhile, actual development spending stood at RM8.66 billion, or 95 per cent of the RM9.1 billion Development Budget approved for 2024. –DayakDaily
