By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Oct 9: The increased allocations for Sarawak and Sabah under Budget 2027 are a positive step towards addressing the development needs of both regions, says Works Minister Dato Sri Alexander Nanta Linggi.
He said the allocations should be viewed in the context of the government’s financial capacity and the increasingly challenging global economic environment.
“I consider the increase positive, especially given the substantial amounts announced.
“We have to understand the current economic situation, including wars and other global issues. Malaysia is not the only country affected, as other nations are also facing very challenging circumstances,” he told TVS after Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim presented Budget 2027 in the Dewan Rakyat today.
Under Budget 2027, themed ‘Menggapai di Langit, Mengakar di Bumi’, Sarawak will receive RM16.2 billion, up from RM15.1 billion this year, while Sabah’s allocation will increase to RM18.7 billion from RM17.6 billion.
Anwar also announced that road projects in both states would continue, backed by a combined allocation of RM3.3 billion under Budget 2027.
Nanta said the government needed to take a realistic approach in determining development spending, taking into account prevailing economic conditions and its financial capacity.
Despite the many outstanding development needs in both states, he said the allocations announced were commendable.
Separately, he said the Works Ministry had received RM350 million for federal road maintenance in Sarawak and Sabah next year. The allocation would be shared between the two states.
Although the amount was lower than this year’s allocation, Nanta said it remained significantly higher than the amounts provided in previous years.
“This year, we have already carried out a substantial amount of work. The remaining works can be addressed with the more than RM100 million allocated to Sarawak, which is still far more than what was provided in previous years,” he said. — DayakDaily
