Press Statement By Chong Chieng Jen:
The 2021 Budget has shown that Sarawak GPS “King Maker” has chosen the wrong person to be made the “king”.
The proportion of Development Expenditure specific for Sarawak out of the total Development Expenditure has dropped from 7.8% in Budget 2020 to 6.5% in Budget 2021.
In Budget 2020, the total Development Expenditure (DE) was RM56 billion and Sarawak was allocated RM4.4 billion and Sabah RM5.2 billion. Therefore, the DE allocation specific for Sarawak was 7.8% of the total DE in 2020.
In Budget 2021, the total Development Expenditure was RM69 billion, but Sarawak was allocated RM4.5 billion and Sabah RM5.1 billion. Thus, the DE allocation specific for Sarawak was only 6.5% of the total DE for the year 2021.
The total DE for the country increased by RM13 billion, from RM56 billion to RM69 billion.
For this RM13 billion increase in DE, Sarawak’s DE merely increases by a paltry RM100 million. Its share of the total DE allocation has thus dropped from the 7.8% in 2020 PH’s Budget to the present 6.5% in 2021 PN’s Budget.
This is definitely a huge let down for the so-called “King-maker” GPS and short-changing Sarawak for “king-making” the Perikatan Nasional, UMNO and PAS, as the Federal Government.
What is most disgusting is the response of the GPS leaders on the huge short-change by the Perikatan Nasional (PN) Government on Sarawak.
Last year, when the Pakatan Harapan Government allocated 7.8% of the total DE to Sarawak, all the GPS leaders cried foul and all up in arms.
This year, when the PN Government allocates a mere 6.5% of the total DE to Sarawak, the GPS leaders are happily accepting it with Abang Jo saying that he is “satisfied” and thanks the Federal Government for the allocation.
7-11-2020
Chong Chieng Jen
DAP Sarawak Chairman
