By Karen Bong
KUCHING, May 15: The World Bank team has performed a comprehensive gap analysis on Sarawak’s current budgeting system, leading to a detailed intervention plan aimed at fully implementing Results-Based Budgeting (RBB) by the financial year 2026.
This initiative is expected to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of Sarawak’s financial management.
Second Minister for Finance and New Economy Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas highlighted that this initiative, under the Public Financial Management Transformation Programme (PFM), aims to set a new and high benchmark for financial management, with emphasis on efficiency, accountability and strategic alignment.
“Collaboration with the World Bank on such a major initiative will greatly improve and strengthen Sarawak’s public financial management and budgeting system, so that it can be at par with those in developed nations.
“In collaboration with the World Bank, the Sarawak Financial Secretary’s Office has begun to lay the groundwork for this transformative journey. Our immediate focus has been to kick-start the RBB process, which marks a paradigm shift from traditional budgeting methods.
“This new approach emphasises measurable outcomes and impacts rather than mere inputs and outputs, in aligning with Sarawak’s objectives to ensure that its public expenditures result to quantifiable, impactful, and meaningful outcomes,” he told the august House when delivering his ministerial winding-up speech today.
Uggah, who is also Deputy Premier, pointed out that PFM is fostering a transparent and result-oriented public financial ecosystem which would ultimately ensure efficient allocation of resources that contribute directly to the Sarawak’s developmental milestones set under Post Covid-19 Development Strategy (PCDS) 2030 and beyond.
“Recently, the Sarawak government has approved the RBB Policy Circular, which serves as a definitive guide for the implementation of RBB within Sarawak’s public sector.
“This policy encapsulates essential elements such as accountability, the roles of central agencies, and a strategic implementation process, ensuring a unified approach across all levels of government,” he explained.
Uggah highlighted that RBB is not just about allocating funds but about linking these funds to specific results, thereby enhancing accountability, improves resource allocation, increases efficiency, and supports better decision-making.
“It fosters a culture of innovation, adaptability, and continuous improvement within our government operations. Furthermore, by making our budgeting decisions transparent and directly linked to outcomes, we enhance communication with stakeholders and the public, ensuring they understand the rationale behind our financial decisions.” — DayakDaily
