KUALA LUMPUR – Several state leaders have praised the 2023 budget, which was tabled by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim yesterday, saying that the budget will ensure the welfare of the people.
The Johor state government expressed its commitment to facilitate all the projects and initiatives announced under Budget 2023 to ensure the prosperity and well-being of the people of Johor.
Thanking the federal government through a Facebook post today, Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi said the state government has achieved what it wished for under Budget 2023 due to the prayers of the Johor people and continuous efforts of all quarters.
Onn Hafiz said the federal government has agreed to upgrade the North-South Expressway stretch from Yong Peng Utara to Senai Utara, from four lanes to six lanes for RM525 million in phases.
The government has also agreed to upgrade the highway network to Pengerang by constructing overtaking lanes on the Senai Desaru Expressway, which can improve business logistics connectivity as well as relations between people from inside and outside Johor.
Also announced were the flood mitigation projects, to be re-tendered latest by June this year, involving projects in Sg Johor, Kota Tinggi, and the proposal to strengthen Iskandar Malaysia’s development by outlining a special financial zone with a competitive remuneration package to attract international investors and high knowledge talent to reside in the country.
Meanwhile, in Melaka, the allocations channelled by the federal government related to tourism, transportation and health are said to be able to drive related sectors in providing the best services for the Melaka people.
Chief Minister Datuk Seri Sulaiman Md Ali said the allocations would provide great benefits to the people and the state's economy, which is heavily reliant on tourism.
“Thank you to the prime minister for ensuring that the people of Melaka also receive significant benefits through the budget…it means a lot to the state of Melaka, and all this is for the well-being of the people,” he said in a video recording here today.
Melaka receives an allocation of RM300 million to upgrade Jalan Tun Hamzah up to the intersection of Semabok Lebuh AMJ in addition to RM700 million to build a 476-bed capacity women and children’s block at the Melaka Hospital.
Perlis Menteri Besar Mohd Shukri Ramli told Bernama when contacted that the allocations provided for the state showed the federal government’s concern in helping the people of Perlis, saying that he is grateful for the government’s support for the Sanglang Port development project.
The prime minister yesterday said the focus would be on supporting the development project at Sanglang Port in Perlis to handle petroleum and bulk cargo that will add value to the state’s economy, adding that the government will build a new structure to prevent coastal erosion between Kuala Sanglang, Perlis to Kuala Jerlun Kubang Pasu, Kedah.
On the government’s announcement to increase allocations under the grant based on level of economic development, infrastructure and welfare to all state governments, Shukri said the state government welcomed the move.
“The total state budget for 2023 is RM293.36 million. If the allocation for the state government is increased to RM400 million, it can cover the state’s annual expenditure that has been tabled during the previous state assembly sitting (in December),” he said.
Negri Sembilan Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Aminuddin Harun said the construction of a road and bridge over Sg Sepang to connect Bukit Pelandok, Port Dickson and Sg Pelek, Sepang in Selangor with an allocation of RM160 million announced by the government yesterday would have a good economic impact on holiday destinations located in the two border areas of Negri Sembilan and Selangor, adding that it will also reduce congestion.
“…The West Coast Expressway (Jajaran Selatan) currently connects to Banting, Selangor, but if it is expanded to Melaka, it will have a big impact on coastal tourism, especially on the peninsular west coast,” he said.
Meanwhile, he said the upgrading of the Jelebu Hospital will reduce congestion in the main hospitals, including the Tuanku Ja’afar Hospital, thus improving health facilities for the people in the state.
The government said it would start preliminary work on upgrading 26 hospitals, including the Jelebu Hospital, which is nearly a century old. – Bernama, February 25, 2023
