THE Selangor government today announced a RM2.3 billion budget for 2020, smaller than the allocations for the last two years.

In 2019, the state budget was RM2.56 billion, and in 2018, RM3.12 billion, when Economic Affairs Minister Mohamed Azmin Ali was menteri besar.

Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari, when tabling the 2020 budget in the state assembly, said 51.4%, or RM1.2 billion, will go towards operating expenditure.

The remaining RM1.13 billion is set aside for development expenditure, he said.

He said the budget is expected to have a deficit of RM1.33 million due to a substantive development allocation.

“The practice of prudent spending, a strengthened work culture with integrity, and a reduction in wastage and leakages have successfully lowered the deficit to a reasonable amount.”

Of the total budget, 14%, or RM334.15 million, will be spent on education, an increase from the previous year’s 11%.

RM10 million of the sum allocated for education will go towards the state’s tuition programme, which benefited some 10,000 students last year.

“We are widening this programme to give free tuition for UPSR (Ujian Pencapaian Sekolah Rendah) students, too, instead of just SPM (Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia) students. We will also provide these students with free meals,” said Amirudin.

Meanwhile, RM20 million is set aside for Technical and Vocational Education and Training programmes.

Schools will also get improved infrastructure, with a RM26 million allocation under Program Bantuan Sekolah Negeri Selangor.

RM237.89 million is allocated for Islamic education, of which RM199.82 million will go to the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais).

Another RM375.78 million is set aside for “the progress of Islam”, including allowances for mosque and surau committee members, and administration and develop costs for Jais.

State-run health programmes will get RM42.5 million that will benefit some 85,000 Selangor folk, up from the 20,000 last year.

The state will also undertake road projects, including a new network serving Gombak, Kuala Langat and Sepang residents, with an allocation of RM52.1 million.

Amirudin unveiled a 30-year plan to increase, maintain and safeguard water supply in the state, and allocated RM1 billion a year in capital expenditure to reduce the use of non-renewable water, replace old pipes and maintain dams.

The state government has identified several new water sources to increase the capacity at dams around the Klang Valley, he added. – November 1, 2019.