KUCHING – The Sarawak government will continue the development projects it has planned for the benefit of the economy and the state’s people, despite the federal government’s austerity measures recently announced in a Treasury circular.
Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Openg said he could not anticipate the impact of the new federal austerity policy in detail, but believed that it would not affect the state’s development planning on a macro scale.
“It’s not that we won’t save. It’s just that we feel we can afford it. (Planning) has been drafted and allocations are available so we will proceed. Otherwise, the economy will collapse. People will lose their jobs. Sarawak will continue with its bridges and RTP (Rural Transformation Programme) all the way,” he said.
He told reporters this after attending the Sarawak Fatwa Seminar in conjunction with the Sarawak Mufti Department’s Silver Jubilee Celebration held here today.
In the circular, Treasury Secretary-General Datuk Seri Asri Hamidon said in line with the government’s intention to optimise spending for all projects under implementation, ministries, departments, and agencies must closely monitor the progress of their projects and ensure their completion within the stipulated period.
Meanwhile, Abang Johari said his government would take into account the state’s financial capability first before making any decisions, if it receives any request from the federal government to help continue federal projects in Sarawak affected by the implementation of the policy.
He said a certain formula should be followed in evaluating the assistance to be given to continue affected federal projects, apart from considering the repayment model and the project’s benefits to the people.
Abang Johari took the example of the construction of a cancer centre in Samarahan near here, a project under the Health Ministry, for which the Sarawak government has agreed to make an advance payment.
“The federal government will pay back through rental. We said we can help set up a cancer centre… because of its importance to the people. There are no cancer centres in Sabah and Sarawak. Treatment is quite expensive if you go to Kuala Lumpur,” he said. – Bernama, July 19, 2022
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