CHIEF Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor described the 2024 Budget, themed “Economic Reform, Empowering People”, tabled by the Prime Minister on Oct 13 as the ‘People’s Budget’ because it puts the interests of the people as the focus and core of priorities.
He said the essence of the 2024 Budget clearly shows the commitment of the Unity Government towards reducing poverty and bridging the income gap in the country.
“Controlling the cost of living and increasing income, especially for the low- and middle-income groups, is the focus of the 2024 Budget. This is what I mean by the people’s budget,” he said.
Earlier, he together with Finance Minister Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun watched the tabling of Madani Malaysia’s 2024 Budget by Prime Minister cum Finance Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim via a live broadcast from the Dewan Rakyat, at his office in Menara Kinabalu, Kota Kinabalu.
Hajiji said the development allocation of RM6.6 billion for Sabah in the 2024 Budget is a manifestation of the Unity Government’s support to balancing the development between the Peninsular, Sabah and Sarawak regions.
He said the RM100 million increase in next year’s allocation is also part of the Federal Government’s efforts to fulfil the implementation of the 1963 Malaysia Agreement (MA63).
“The Sabah Government welcomes this and is determined to make it an inspiration when we table Sabah’s Budget for 2024 soon,” he said.
In this regard, he said, the essence of the 2024 Madani Budget will be taken into account and adapted to the thrust of the Hala Tuju Sabah Maju Jaya (SMJ) through Sabah’s 2024 Budget.
Hajiji said the 2024 Budget, which is the second budget tabled by Anwar since taking over the leadership of the government on November 24, 2022, clearly shows that the Borneo region continues to be moved in the stream of national development when Sarawak is also given an allocation amounting to RM5.8 billion.
He said that the better and more progressive fiscal policy introduced in the 2024 Budget will have a major impact on Sabah in efforts to develop the State’s economy and attract foreign investment.
“We see the policy introduced in the 2024 Budget as very inclusive, taking into account the global economic situation,” he said, adding Sabah will continue to strive to empower growth to encourage trade and investment.
Until now, Sabah’s trade has recorded the highest record in history, rising to RM118.1 billion in 2022, compared to only RM87.2 billion in the previous year.
In addition, he said, in the past three years, the State Government has been able to bring in more than RM33 billion in investment value to Sabah in addition to the highest record in state revenue collection which reached up to RM7 billion.
Hajiji also hinted that Sabah’s 2024 Budget will also be pro-people because that is what he has been fighting for since taking over the leadership of the State Government three years ago.
