To comment on national budget which was tabled by PM Najib Razak just now, with Cabotage policy still on, the allocation for price standardization has declined from 331 million to 262 million, I see no hope that price standardization between East and West Malaysia will be achieved and sadly Sabah will still bear for higher price of goods and expensive living cost despite Sabah is remain as poorest state.
From the budget text I read, I see handful of project and development was initiated in Sabah. Roughly calculation, less than 3.5 billion allocation or less than 6.9% from the total 50.5 billion development expenditure allocated for Sabah infrastructure and development programs. I feel really disappointing to see that as Sabah still very far behind in terms of infrastructure and development.
As member of parliament for Sabah, I have been expecting good news for Sabah but it failed to amaze me and Sabahan folks as a whole. Despite seven infrastructure projects were announced by Najib, but all of them are in Peninsula Malaysia, none of them in Sabah particularly in Sandakan, even long-promised Libaran Road for Sandakan was not mentioned in the budget speech.
I also notice that the allocation for national school (SK) had been increased from 150 million to 450 million or increase rate about 300% however the chinese primary school or SJKC was remain the allocation at 50 million. I welcome the increment of allocation for SK as cost of everything goes high, but I expect that the same increment rate should apply for SJKC as well to practice Najib’s 1Malaysia concept and given allocation to all stream schools equally and fairly. I also think that the first allocation to Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Cina should be increased to 50million as well.
Last but not least, I welcome the announcement that the allocation for ESSCOM rose from 75 million in 2014 budget to 660 million in 2015 budget. And also I truly welcome the announcement by the government to resettle and relocate the squatters at coastline of Sabah especially in Sandakan. I hope these initiatives would be effective and help to strengthen Sabah’s security in future.