Goodies under 2018 Penang Budget

GEORGE TOWN: Here are snippets from the 2018 Penang Budget announced by Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng today.

• RM300 credit for families earning below RM5,000 a month seeking outpatient treatment at any private clinic; RM150 credit for single people earning below RM2,500 a month.
• RM300 in “child care assistance” for mothers with children below six.
• Senior citizens’ aid increased from RM100 to RM130.
• RM400 cash vouchers for fishermen, along with free nets twice a year.
• RM300 for students accepted into local vocational schools.
• Continuation of RM1,000 aid to college and university students studying locally, RM1,200 for those studying in Sabah or Sarawak.
• An allocation of RM1 million for eGames (competitive video gaming) training, via the Penang Youth Development Corporation.
• An increase in allocations for Islamic affairs, from RM50 million this year to RM53 million.
• Allocation of RM1.1 million to the Penang Hindu Endowments Board.
• Additional 20ha for non-Muslim places of worship in Batu Kawan, following popularity of 8ha of land offered in Ampang Jajar, Butterworth.
• Exemption from assessment rates for low-cost, low-medium-cost and village homes.
• Granting 2,000 canopies to hawkers and open-air traders.
• Exemption of 2018 business licences to 29,00 hawkers and smallholders.
• A minimum RM1,000 bonus for all Penang civil servants; additional RM1,000 for those with no disciplinary records.
• RM300 for Islamic religious teachers, Kafa teachers and Chinese independent school teachers.
• RM200 for tahfiz, pondok and Islamic kindergarten teachers.

Environment/Public Works

• A special RM10 million fund for the protection of hill land and hill slopes.
• Penang Island City Council and Seberang Perai Municipal Council given RM20 million for various flood mitigation-related projects.
• RM61.2 million for roadworks.
• Rebuilding of the old Bukit Mertajam Market at a cost of RM20 million and Seberang Jaya Market upgrade at a cost of RM13 million.

Infrastructure

• A RM60 million sports complex in Butterworth, which includes a swimming pool and 30 badminton courts, to be built.
• A new hockey stadium valued at RM7 million will be developed through a public-private initiative.
• Upgrade for Permatang Rawa mini stadium worth RM2.5 million.
• Two new badminton complexes in Macallum Street (two courts) and Sungai Pinang (eight courts), costing RM60 million.
• A RM2.5 million badminton complex, with eight courts, will be built along Jalan Bukit Panchor, Nibong Tebal.
• A private initiative to build a mega badminton complex, with 16 courts, called the Penang Badminton Academy, will take shape on Karpal Singh Drive at a cost of RM22 million. -FMT