KUALA LUMPUR: The Ministry of Defence (Mindef) and the Ministry of Home Affairs (MOHA) have been allocated RM16 billion and RM17 billion, respectively, under the Budget 2022.

Finance Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz said a total of RM1.6 billion was allocated to enhance the preparedness of main assets of the Malaysian Armed Forces and RM14 million to replace the main equipment of the PASKAL (Naval Special Forces) and PASKAU (Air Force Special Air Service) including parachutes, underwater breathing gears and boats.

According to him, for the welfare of police and military personnel, a total of RM230 million has been allocated for the maintenance of schools in military camps and facilities as well as at Armed Forces quarters, including replacement and repair works on elevators at the Royal Malaysia Police staff quarters.

"To strengthen the country's sovereignty, the government will add eight General Operations Force control posts, including in Pagalungan, Sabah and Temong Mura in Sarawak, to improve border security.

"The government will also add four new immigration gateways, among others, in Telok Melano and Baleh in Sarawak, to meet the need for increased movement following the Indonesian government's move to relocate its capital to Kalimantan and the opening of the Pan Borneo Highway along the Telok Melano line," he said.

Tengku Zafrul said this when tabling the 2022 Budget, themed "Keluarga Malaysia, Makmur Sejahtera" (A Prosperous Malaysian Family) in the Dewan Rakyat, today.

Apart from that, as the country is about to face the northeast monsoon season, the preparedness of the National Disaster Management Agency is important and a total of RM100 million has been allocated, among others, to alleviate the burden of flood victims through the provision of Food Kits.

He said that RM20 million has also been allocated by the government to implement the Malaysia Incentive Community Empowerment initiative by providing grants of up to RM10,000 to 2,000 organisations registered with the Registrar of Societies Malaysia (ROS) in the welfare, social, security and human rights categories.

-- BERNAMA