Sarawak Economic Development Corporation

KUCHING: All Sarawakians must in one way or another welcome the announcement of additional RM1 billion allocation, said Datuk Haji Talib Zulpilp, the Chairman of Sarawak Economic Development Corporation (SEDC).

“The RM1 billion injection is timely and a welcoming news. All Sarawakians must welcome the announcement of additional RM1 billion by the Prime minister,” he commented yesterday.

“This additional allocation of RM1 billion will help Sarawak in many ways. We are a vast state. Extra funding is needed to provide and maintain our infrastructure, amenities and of course, other projects that are important for us,” Talib said when asked to comment on the Prime Minister’s announcement.

Talib, who also Jepak State Assemblyman said the additional RM1 billion allocation was on top of the already approved allocations, and in view of the economic slowdown, the injection was timely.

 Ã¢â‚¬Å“It will spur business and economic activities,” he added.

Talib said no one knew the exact extend of the slowdown but an injection of this magnitude would definitely help.

The Prime Minsiter, who announced the additional allocation during his visit here on Tuesday, said the fund would be administered directly by the Prime Minister’s Department.

Besides the fund, the Prime Minister said the government had allocated RM3.9 billion for water and power supply projects for rural schools in the State.

To help Members of Parliament to reach out to their constituencies in the interiors, Abdullah said the Federal Government would provide a RM15,000 monthly allowance for them so that they could do so by helicopter services.

The Prime Minister had also said under the Ninth Malaysia Plan (9MP), the Federal Government’s total allocation for Sarawak had risen to almost RM12.4 billion, the fourth biggest allocation to a state.

Taken From:

The Eastern Times Online
12/06/2008