TWO Sabah MPs proposed the setting up of a state body to ensure allocations for development in the state under the annual federal budget were fully utilised and reached its intended purposes.
Semporna MP Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal said the Auditor-General’s Report stated that the allocation to Sabah has been underutilised, with only 54% or only RM3.5 billion of the RM6.5 billion allocated in 2023 spent.
Kinabatangan MP Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin said only 50% or 60% of the federal funds reached the intended projects in the state.
They said this during their debate speeches for the state’s Budget 2024 in Kota Kinabalu yesterday, claiming this was a great loss for Sabah, which is facing problems with water, electricity, and infrastructure as well as poor education and health facilities.
“There must be a specific body to help fast-track the utilisation of these funds,” said Shafie.
The Sabah opposition leader said it would waste the efforts of MPs from the state who had passionately fought for larger allocations for the state in parliament if the state government does not ensure the funds are utilised.
“The unused funds will eventually return to the federal government, which would then channel the money into other projects,” he said.
Shafie said federal funds are underutilised mainly because of weaknesses in the Sabah government.
“They had given us the money. But we are in fact unable to implement the project. Why is that so?” he asked.
Bung Moktar, meanwhile, said it was impossible to utilise 100% of federal funds as state government machinery was not as efficient as the peninsula.
He said companies could start a project almost immediately as all the bureaucracies involved have been settled.
“Land compensation, settled. Utilities matter, resolved. All the groundwork issues have been resolved.
“In Sabah, companies have to wait for a year to have the land compensation settled. One more year for the utilities and another for other groundwork matters to be resolved.
“In total, three years (for the contractors to commence work). This is why all the allocations (for Sabah) have been withdrawn,” said Bung Moktar, adding that the state should establish a one-stop centre to deal with the technical challenges.
Meanwhile, Shafie also panned the lack of aggressiveness from the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah-led government in demanding more funds from Putrajaya, noting that the state only received 7.7% or RM6.5 billion of the RM393 billion national budget for next year.
“We need to negotiate better. It’s been three years since GRS has been the government. I think we should change the (Sabah) government. Plans after plans are made at the federal level. But I do not hear the voice from the state (asking for more),” he said.
He said the conditions are so dire in Sabah that it only has one heart specialist to cover patients for the whole state and only one secondary school was approved for next year. – The Vibes, November 28, 2023
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