Additional RM592.3bil for this year approved
Published on: Tuesday, August 14, 2018
THE State Legislative Assembly has approved an additional budget of RM592,310,727 for government administrative expenditure this year.The First Supplementary Supply Bill 2018 tabled by Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal, who is also State Finance Minister, was passed unanimously after its third reading at the State Assembly sitting, Monday.When tabling the Bill, Mohd Shafie said RM334,879,850, or more than half of the additional budget, was needed for the purpose of account adjustment, namely to settle the RM84,879,850 spent from the Personal Advance Account.
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He said another RM250,000,000 was meant for contribution to the State Statutory Provident Fund."This means only RM257,430,877 will involve cash flow in the in this First Supply Supplementary Estimates 2018."...the biggest allocation that will involve cash flow in the this First Supply Supplementary Estimates 2018 is RM119,382,000 which is meant for the purchase of water supply, operation of water treatment plants and settling arrears to water concession companies," he said.A sum of RM23,264,000 was allocated for the maintenance of main drainage system and for the drainage and irrigation work statewide; RM20,863,353 for payment of utility bills; RM23,000,000 for payment of Sabah State Administrative Centre facility management service; RM10,943,400 for allowance for village heads; and the remaining RM49,218,524 for emolument and office administration expenditures," he added.
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The First Annual Development Estimation Statement 2018 requires an additional allocation of RM55,570,900.The First Additional Development Assistance 2018 involves a total of 21 vot allocations under the four ministries.
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Of the total, RM1,869,980 is required for payment of projects that have been implemented last year but were not paid within the financial year 2017.RM31,473,920 was allocated to cover the current lack of provisions for projects that have been committed to contracts and projects to be completed in 2018.A total of RM22,200,000 is allocated to cover the special allotment of members of the State Assembly, Ministers and new Assistant Ministers. Meanwhile, Tambunan Assemblyman Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan, when debating the bill, hoped the current government will not repeat what happened in the past with the previous government during each request for additional allocation. "Let the provisions cover all areas, regardless of whether it is opposition area or government area," he said. He voiced concern over additional provisions for the Water Department and if the allocation will solve the problem in Papar and Kaiduan and, if not, will the Government continue the dam project in Kaiduan or Papar? Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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