2021 Budget: "Sabahans are suffering, can't wait for next year" - Najib

Debating the Supply (Budget) Bill 2021 in the Dewan Rakyat today, the Pekan Member of Parliament said he hoped that an additional RM1,000 could be allocated under Bantuan Prihatin Rakyat (BPR), especially for residents in the state.

According to him, the government should have no problem because it made a special allocation for Sabah after Petronas reportedly agreed to pay a dividend of RM1.23 billion to the state.

“Sabahans need help now, not next year. Because CMCO (Conditional Movement Control Order) has been implemented in Sabah for the longest time, the state is most affected by the pandemic," he added.

Najib said Sabah needed special attention as the state had recorded the highest poverty rate and the lowest growth rate in Malaysia.

In the meantime, he also suggested that the government establish a 'Look Borneo' policy, as one of the efforts to make Sabah and Sarawak as big investment destinations and potentially to generate the country's economy.

"I suggest that whatever vision or plan the government has in mind, it is necessary to take an approach to the East, but not as far as to Japan. Suffice to just Borneo, namely Sabah, Sarawak and Kalimantan.

"They have a huge source of natural wealth, their location is strategic, because it is closer to developing countries in East Asia than Peninsular Malaysia. It does not make sense for us to let Malaysia's major companies only invest abroad without taking into account Sabah and Sarawak, "he added.