S'wak to spend RM3.4 bil for development next year

In tabling the State Budget for 2013 at the State Legislative Assembly sitting here, he said of the total amount, commerce and industry sector development got the biggest chunk with a RM2.04 billion allocation.

He said RM429 million would be spent to enhance government service delivery via facilities improvements, RM333 million for social development and community services, RM220 million for transport and communication sector, RM214 million for public utilities and RM168 million for agricultural development.

"As a developing state, it is imperative that we have a a budget that is development-biased," said Taib, who is also the State Finance Minister.

According to him, Sarawak needs to give greater emphasis on developing the necessary infrastructure and amenities to improve the quality of life and to attract more investment to the state's rural areas.

"There is a need for rural areas to catch up with development, particularly those having economic potential that could be harnessed, and this would contribute substantially to the state's economy," he said,

He said RM1.5 billion would be used as recurrent expenditure involving personnel emoluments (RM560 million), supplies and services (RM551 million), grants and fixed payments (RM365 million), assets procurement (RM28 million) and other operating expenses (RM13 million).

Taib said the budget was proposed to yield a surplus of about RM83 million based on an estimated total revenue of RM4.15 billion against a total ordinary expenditure of RM4.07 billion.

He said non-tax revenue would contribute RM3,047 million or 73 per cent of the total expected revenue with RM975 million or 23 per cent from tax revenue, RM119 million from Federal grants and reimbursements, and RM9 million from non-revenue receipts.