MIRI – Native rights groups and environmental societies in the state should be given an official role by Putrajaya as “government watchdogs and auditors” to keep watch on how money from Budget 2024 for crucial social improvement projects for rural Sarawak are used by the state authorities.
A vocal group fighting for Sarawak river conservation, Save Rivers, has offered itself to fill in this role.
Speaking to The Vibes, its chairman Peter Kallang said neutral watchdogs are crucial.
Civil society groups must be allowed to play the important role of financial-project auditors in Sarawak, he said.
“Yes, we hear again of billions of budget money from Putrajaya and that Sarawak will be getting plenty.”
“We, the Sarawak NGOs officially registered with the Registrar of Societies, should be accorded official status of civil watchdogs and auditors to check on how the state ministries spend federal allocations.
“There are dozens of NGOs, big and small, throughout Sarawak.
“We have vast connections with the grassroots in all the deep interiors.
“We want to know how the state spends the federal budget in terms of rural road projects, bridge building, flood mitigations, provision of basic utilities like water and electricity, telecommunication links.
“We want to know who are the state government contractors doing these projects, how these contracts are awarded, how much they are paid.
“We want deadlines set. My longhouse in Long Ikang in upper Baram got flooded 10 times last year…when will we see improvements,” he asked.
Kallang said his group is willing to meet the federal or state government anytime if offered an auditor’s role.
Yesterday, The Vibes reported that Sarawak state ministers have been told to set a deadline to start implementing long-awaited flood mitigations projects in longhouses, as the federal government has set aside RM 11.8 billion just to tackle flood woes under Budget 2024.
Social activist and community elder of the Tering ethnic group in Baram district, Willie Kajan, said there can be no more excuses deemed acceptable for any more delays in carrying out flood-mitigation projects like river dredging, riverbanks reinforcement, creation of canals and improved drainage to stop the floods from inundating longhouses each time it rains.
Under Budget 2024, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced that Sarawak would be receiving RM5.8 billion, which is the largest amount allocated for the state so far. – The Vibes, October 16, 2023
