Only RM100 for road construction in Sabah? Tuaran MP is aghast

 

Upko president Wilfred Madius Tangau said Sabah and Sarawak need more funds than the peninsula for road building. (Bernama pic)

KOTA KINABALU: Former Sabah deputy chief minister Wilfred Madius Tangau is flabbergasted that the state has only been allocated RM100 for the construction of major roads next year.

Speaking to FMT, an annoyed Tangau said he discovered the matter after checking the national budget booklet provided in the Dewan Rakyat today.

For this reason, the Tuaran MP has submitted two motions to the Parliament secretary to slash RM1 billion from the RM1.029 billion allocated to the peninsula under the category “other construction” for next year under the works ministry.

“I propose that RM1 billion be re-allocated to the same ministry (works ministry) but RM500 million each goes to Sabah and Sarawak with the rest of the allocation, which is RM29,145,700, given to the peninsula instead.

“I’m making this suggestion because the allocations for major road construction given to Sabah for 2021 is only RM100,” said the Upko president.

Tangau said this amount was an astonishing drop from the RM60 million allocated for the same purpose to Sabah for this year.

“I thought that when Sabah is politically aligned to the federal government, there will be more allocations? So why only RM100 … where’s the logic in this?

“This is an insult to Sabah and Sabahans,” he said.

At the same time, he added, Sarawak’s funds for major road construction this year amounted to RM33 million but the state was only given RM1.5 million for the same purpose next year.

Tangau questioned the logic in raising this year’s allocation of RM310,400 for the peninsula, under the “other construction” category, to over RM1 billion for next year.

“What is this? I am stunned,” he said.

“Everyone is aware that the federal roads in Sabah and Sarawak are in desperate need of improvement, particularly to encourage development in both states.” - FMT