All federal funds will go directly to the people, says Hajiji

 The Sabah chief minister says the RM1.5 billion special grant would go towards more paved roads, bridges, and water and electricity projects.

Sabah chief minister Hajiji Noor said the state welcomed the decision of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to increase the interim payment of the federal special grant to the state.

KOTA KINABALU:

All funds received by Sabah from the federal government will be channelled back to the people through various forms of incentives, assistance and development, says chief minister Hajiji Noor.

He said the increase in the interim special grant payment to RM1.5 billion from this year would be fully utilised to build more paved roads and concrete bridges as well as improve water and electricity supply throughout the state.

“We welcome Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s decision to increase the interim payment, and we will use the proceeds for development and people’s welfare agendas such as the construction of more Rumah Mesra Sabah Maju Jaya units and the Sentuhan Kasih Rakyat programme,” he said.

“Whatever we receive from the federal government will be returned to the people in various forms of incentives and assistance,” Hajiji said in his speech at Upko’s delegates conference and 32nd anniversary celebration.

The Sabah state government was previously reported to have received RM600 million of the RM1.5 billion interim special grant payment disbursed by the federal government on June 12.

Hajiji said the state government continued to focus on financial performance and increasing revenue collection, with annual collections maintained at RM7 billion since 2022 and expected to increase to RM8 billion this year. - FMT