Themed ‘Reinvigorating the Economy towards a Resilient, Caring and Inclusive Society’, the 2021 State Budget allocates RM9.832 billion of which RM3.832 billion is for operating expenditure while a sum of RM6 billion is proposed to be appropriated to the Development Fund Account to finance the implementation of various development programmes and projects.
The budget continues with the following eight key strategic thrusts aimed to introduce more robust medium and long-term measures will be implemented to address the economic and social challenges brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic, paving way for economic recovery in 2021 and beyond.
Steering Economic Recovery
The state budget will steer economic recovery through five strategic initiatives including provision of development and rural biased budget, improving connectivity and accessibility, intensifying state industrialisation programme, accelerating the development of Sarawak Corridor Of Renewable Energy (SCORE), and boosting tourism sector.
Securing the People’s Wellbeing
The state government will continue to secure the people’s wellbeing through two strategic initiatives, namely, creating a liveable environment and expanding coverage of treated water and electricity supplies.
Ensuring Food Security and Transformation of Agriculture Production
The state government aspires to develop Sarawak’s agriculture sector into a technology-driven and competitive sector, ensuring food security and safety, and creating wealth for the farming community. In this regard, a sum of RM1.123 billion will be allocated next year to implement various programmes. Efforts will be intensified to increase the self-sufficient level of rice from 51 percent to 70 percent by 2030 through upgrading and rehabilitating of drainage and irrigation. A sum of RM13.5 million will be allocated in the 2021 State Budget to procure cattle, buffalo and goat breeder stocks to strengthen the ruminant integration with oil palm plantations programme towards achieving a target of producing 150,000 heads of cattle by 2025 in addition to growing the rural economy.
Strengthening Social Security
In the effort to ensure sustainable social protection for the rakyat, especially the vulnerable groups, the state government will continue to strengthen its social protection programmes through the implementation of the various initiatives.
Advancing Digital Economy
The state government is committed to spearhead the Digital Economy Initiatives to optimise the potential of digital technology and digitalisation to leapfrog the state towards a high-income economy by 2030. The initiatives will continue to be implemented next year with an allocation of RM540 million.
Human Capital Development
Education and human capital development strategies must be able to produce talented and agile workforce that are capable of driving the state’s vision and generate economic prosperity. The key initiatives that contribute significantly to the enhancement of quality of education in the state, among others are safe and conducive teaching and learning environment through addressing the issue of dilapidated schools, enhancing quality of education, implementation of Early Childhood and Care Institutions Programme, establishment of Sarawak Science Centre, construction of Sarawak International School, providing school voucher for tuition fees, and enhancing quality of human capital.
Promoting Environmental Sustainability
The state government will continue its effort in strengthening sustainable forest management practices in the State. Towards this, RM13.62 million will be allocated next year for the implementation of various projects.
Enhancing Government Service Delivery
Service Sarawak Centre will be expanded in Sri Aman and Serian Divisions and expected to be in operation by mid-2021. Effort towards providing excellent service delivery will also be intensively pursued through digitalisation and system enhancement of which RM7.1 million will be allocated in 2021 for the continuation of digitalisation projects. The state government will also continue its efforts to enhance talent in the State Civil Service under the Leadership Development Programme to help cultivate shared values and high-performance culture amongst civil servants and harness their skills to deliver excellent services.
