THE bulk of a RM6.5 billion allocation for rural development under Budget 2018 will go to Sabah and Sarawak, as the Barisan Nasional federal government aims to secure its “fixed deposit” of votes ahead of the 14th general election.

Prime Minister Najib Razak today announced that RM4.5 billion of the total allocation would be spent on development projects in the two East Malaysian states.

“A sum of RM2 billion is allocated for Pan Borneo Highway. For Sarawak, all the 11 construction packages have been tendered, while five out of 35 packages in the first phase in Sabah have been awarded and the remaining 12 is under tender process,” he said. 

“A sum of RM934 million is allocated for the construction of rural roads, including almost RM500 million for Sabah and Sarawak.”

RM620 million will go towards electricity supply and almost RM300 million for clean water supply for 3,000 homes in the rural areas of the two states.

RM30 million is allocated for Sarawak and RM20 million for Sabah to survey and map customary lands.

A new airport will be built in Mukah in Sarawak, while the airport in Sandakan, Sabah, will be expanded.

Of a total of RM60 million allocated for the 1Azam job-development and income-generation programme for the poor in Malaysia, RM10 million will be set side for Sabah and Sarawak, respectively.

Najib said the standardisation of prices for basic necessities programme in Sabah and Sarawak would continue with a total allocation of RM80 million. 

The federal government will also allocate a sum of RM1 billion to develop communication infrastructures and broadband facilities in both states. The fund will be channelled through Malaysia Communications and Multimedia Commission. 

The allocation for rural development also targets Malay heartland areas, where BN’s lynchpin party, Umno, is in fierce contest with Muslim opposition rivals. 

For these areas, RM1.1 billion was dedicated to  “people-centric” projects such as building and upgrading bridges, streetlights, surau and market squares.

The government will also spend RM500 million on the public infrastructure maintenance programme and basic infrastructure project. – October 27, 2017.