MUKAH: The 2023 Budget that will be presented early next month should be a rural-biased budget where the development of rural areas becomes the main focus.
This is the wish of Daro ssemblyman Safiee Ahmad who is hoping Sarawak will be given more allocations because the state has the status of a province, unlike the other states Malaysia.
Furthermore, Sarawak is the largest province in Malaysia, he said.
Safiee said more basic infrastructure development projects such as clean water supply, electricity and more conducive rural school facilities are needed in the rural areas.
“This also includes health service buildings or village clinics as the existing ones are in poor condition.
“In addition, with more allocations, infrastructure improvements and basic needs will also boost the agriculture and fisheries sector in rural areas, especially in Daro.
“This will promote the economic growth of the people. It will also enable the poverty gap to be narrowed,” he said when contacted by New Sarawak Tribune yesterday (Sept 27).
He noted that with a large budget allocation for Sarawak, new economic potentials in rural areas can be created such as futuristic aquaculture, in line with the federal government’s support for Sarawak’s target of becoming a developed state by 2030.
“Sarawak has shown the ability to drive the economy by conducting and maintaining good bilateral relations with major foreign countries such as China and South Korea.
“Through more allocation for Sarawak in the 2023 Budget, many improvements can be implemented and become a ‘catalyst’ for the development of the existing economic sector.
“So, it is appropriate that special attention should be given to Sarawak,” he said.
