KUCHING: The Sarawak government will carry on with all its planned development projects despite the federal government’s austerity measures.
This is for the benefit of the wellbeing of the people and the state’s economy, said Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg.
A confident Premier said the Sarawak government has already drafted a plan, adding that the state can afford the projects as it has sufficient allocations.
“We will continue with development projects such as bridge construction and rural transformation projects (RTPs). Because if the projects are not implemented, it will cause the economy to collapse and people will lose their jobs,” he told journalists after officiating at the Sarawak Fatwa Seminar here, today (July 19).
On the Public Expenditure Savings Guidelines issued by the Finance Ministry (MoF), he stressed that the matter will not affect the state.
“If they implement this policy, (it means) they want to save money. However, I am not sure (of its implication) because this is under the federal government,” he said.
Asked if there was a possibility that the Sarawak government would help continue developing would-be affected federal projects, Abang Johari said it depends on the state’s allocation.
“We need to look at the situation first, if we have the allocation and the federal government asks for help, then we can help (but with conditions).
“However, it will be implemented using a special formula. We will not give it away for free and maybe they will have to pay us back.
“This matter is similar to the establishment of the Sarawak Cancer Centre where we offered an advance loan to the federal government.
“And they will pay us back because what they are doing now is in the interest of the people,” he explained.
Putrajaya recently issued the Guidelines on Saving Public Expenditure in line with optimising government spending.
The guidelines state that ministries, departments, agencies, federal statutory bodies and companies limited by guarantees need to restructure their programmes and activities, while managing cash flow in order of priority by ensuring no trade-offs on programmes and activities that focus on the wellbeing of the people.
