THE Sabah government consolidated fund registered an increase of RM485 million or 16.5% to RM3.43 billion in 2021, from RM2.95 billion in 2020, according to a report tabled in the Sabah assembly today.

The Auditor-General’s Report on financial statements of Sabah government and agencies for 2021 stated that the consolidated revenue account registered a surplus of RM932 million, increasing by RM1.87 billion or 200% compared to a deficit of RM935 million in 2020.

“The financial position of the Sabah government for the year ending December 31, 2021, is stable on the whole,” the report said.

The report said that in 2021, revenue collected by the state government totalled RM5.45 billion, an increase of RM1.86 billion or 51.8% compared to the previous year of RM3.59 billion.

It said operating expenditure rose RM57.4 million or 1.6% to RM3.72 billion in 2021, compared to RM3.66 billion in 2020.

“Last year RM1.12 billion in development expenditure was approved and RM880 million was spent,” the report said.

According to the report, 812 projects were planned for 2021 and 47 projects were completed, 367 projects are being implemented and 398 projects have yet to be implemented.

Meanwhile, the 2021 Series 1 on activities of ministries/departments and management of Sabah government companies said the state government had disbursed RM179 million in aid to 393,000 heads of households and 10 departments, through the Sabah We Care Bantuan Covid-19 programme.

“A sum of RM159 million was distributed throughout the critical movement control order (MCO) and conditional MCO period to 373,000 heads of household,” the report said.

It also said the management of repairs to slopes along state and federal roads in Sabah was not efficient and effective enough to achieve the objectives. – Bernama, November 28, 2022.