KUALA LUMPUR: Sarawak received the second highest allocation among states under the 2020 Budget tabled yesterday, at RM4.4 billion, following Sabah which received RM5.2 billion.
Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng (pix) said this showed that the Federal Government had given priority to Sabah and Sarawak, compared to other states.
Speaking to reporters at a post-budget briefing in Parliament today, Lim was responding to the dissatisfaction expressed by Sarawak Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian over the allocation for the state, which the latter said was insufficient.
Questioning why the dissatisfaction arose now, in view of the fact that Sarawak had not received this high an allocation under the previous administration, Lim said the budget allocation for Sarawak had not been reviewed since 1969, but under the new Pakatan Harapan-led government which came into power in May 2018, the state had seen its allocation double.
“If they could be satisfied despite the small allocation during the administration of the previous government, why are they dissatisfied now, when they have been given more?”, he questioned. — Bernama
