KUCHING: The substantial allocation in Budget 2024 for Sarawak should be directed towards rural development, said political analyst Datuk Peter Minos.
He said that the rural areas in the state were in dire need of improvement across various facets of life.
As such, Minos stressed the significance of rural infrastructure, such as roads, water supply, and electricity, for the well-being of the rural population.
He pointed out that rural development had the potential not only to uplift the living standards of rural residents but also to create more job opportunities and increase incomes over time.
“Nowadays, rural people know the value of roads, water supply, electricity, and the like.
“Rural development will surely see two things: better lives for the rural folk and more opportunities for jobs and incomes.
“For example, the oil palm development by the Sarawak Land Consolidation and Rehabilitation Authority (SALCRA) significantly improves living standards and the quality of life, albeit not immediately, but over time,” he said when contacted by the New Sarawak Tribune.
He was asked to comment on Budget 2024 announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim yesterday.
Under the budget, Sarawak is set to receive a development fund of RM5.8 billion, a slight increase from the previous year’s allocation of RM5.6 billion.
Minos highlighted the mutual dependence of both infrastructure and economic development in rural areas, stating that they worked in tandem to drive progress.
He said focusing on rural development was essential for combating rural backwardness and poverty, which could hinder overall development.
In addition to infrastructure and economic development, Minos also emphasised the critical need for improvements in the education sector in the rural areas.
He called for better schools, well-qualified teachers and improved educational facilities, all the way up to the college and university levels.
He strongly asserted that education was the key to a better life for all and a fundamental prerequisite for overall progress.
