KUALA LUMPUR: Among the biggest allocation for the Ministry of Rural Development under Budget 2022 is for the infrastructure development of rural areas in Sabah and Sarawak, said its Minister Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid.

Without providing details of the total amount, he said it would involve the infrastructure development of rural electricity supply, rural water supply and rural roads.

"It also includes the development of the people's well-being to repair houses and build new houses," he told a media conference at the Parliament building after the tabling of Budget 2022 here today.

He said that for this year's budget, the ministry received a total of RM10.53 billion, which is RM345 million or 3.39 per cent higher than the 2021 allocation.

The total, he said, comprised RM3.52 billion in management allocation and RM7.01 billion in development allocation.

In describing the budget as being inclusive and comprehensive, in line with the concept of the Malaysian Family, he said the development of the Orang Asli was not marginalised.

"A total of RM274 million has been allocated to improve the living standards of the Orang Asli. This comprises infrastructure, economy and human capital development programmes for the empowerment of the Orang Asli community in Malaysia.

"In this case, the pocket money of Orang Asli children in secondary schools will be raised from RM2 to RM4 per day," he said.

Meanwhile, the RM699 million set aside for Rubber Industry Smallholders Development Authority (RISDA) and RM495 million allocated for FELCRA would benefit the smallholders under the two agencies.

Attention is also given to children's early education through KEMAS classes nationwide involving allocations to pay the educators and provide healthy food and drinks for the pupils, he said.

The government today tabled Budget 2022 with the highest allocation ever of RM332.1 billion to implement various strategies and initiatives to prosper the people and stimulate a progressive and sustainable economy.

Finance Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz, when tabling the budget in the Dewan Rakyat, said the expansionary budget took into account the aspiration of the Malaysian Family concept and was aligned with the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP) to enable the people to prosper in the new normal brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.

-- BERNAMA