The Sarawak Legislative Assembly (DUN) yesterday (Dec 1) unanimously passed the Supply (2023) Bill, 2022 or the 2023 State Budget.
The 2023 Surplus Budget, with an estimated total revenue of RM11.035 billion and an ordinary expenditure of RM10.797 billion, was tabled by Premier and Minister of Finance and New Economy Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg on the first day of the DUN sitting on Nov 21.
In his winding-up speech yesterday, Abang Johari said Sarawak, like other countries, was facing challenges caused by global economic slowdown and geo-political tensions, especially over the past few years when the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the world’s goods and services supply chains.
“While these uncertainties have created many downside risks to, and concern for Sarawak’s economy, they certainly have also given us the opportunity to demonstrate our resilience to overcome economic adversity and develop the Post COVID-19 Development Strategy (PCDS) 2030 that would put Sarawak on a clear pathway towards achieving a high-income economy by 2030,” he said.
Abang Johari pointed out that Sarawak’s economy was picking up and on track of recovery as the state moved towards endemicity.
“But, we, the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) government, will not rest on our laurels. We will continue to bring more development to Sarawak and fight against all odds and challenges that may come our way,” he said.
Most importantly, he added, Sarawak needed to focus on improving its work efficiency and culture to achieve higher productivity, higher Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth and enhance the competitiveness of its commercial and industrial sectors to gain the confidence of investors, especially foreign investors.
“The GPS government will continue to provide the impetus for driving Sarawak’s economic growth by improving basic infrastructure and transportation, air and sea connectivity and accessibility, development of talents through better systems of education and training, increasing the pace towards digital economy and uplifting the standards of living of the rural population,” he said.
Abang Johari added these would create opportunities for Sarawakians to participate in the state’s industrial development, especially in the resource-based industry, namely, its oil and gas sector.
The Supply (2023) Bill, 2022 was seconded by Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas, who is also the Second Minister for Finance and New Economy .
Out of the total ordinary expenditure, a sum of RM3.997 billion has been allocated for operating expenditure while RM6.8 billion is set aside for appropriation to the Development Fund Account to finance the implementation of various development programmes and projects.
The budgeted operating expenditure of RM3.997 billion comprises RM938 million or 24 per cent for personnel emoluments; RM1.508 billion or 38 per cent for supplies and services; RM1.343 billion or 34 per cent for grants and fixed payments; which include operating grants to Statutory Bodies and local authorities, servicing of public debts and payments of gratuities, pensions, scholarships, including financial and welfare assistance; RM90 million for procurement of assets and RM118 million for other operating expenses.
