Penang passes RM989mil budget for 2023

 

An artist’s impression of the Gurney Wharf project which was allocated RM60 million in the Penang Budget for 2023. (Penang government pic)

GEORGE TOWN: The Penang state legislative assembly has passed, with a voice vote, the budget for next year amounting to RM989.47 million.

The budget, with a projected deficit of RM467.12 million, was tabled by chief minister Chow Kon Yeow on Tuesday.

The highest allocation of RM172.04 million is to the state secretary and chief minister’s office and it covers expenditure on development projects such as:

• the Gurney Wharf (RM60 million);
• sports and recreational spaces (RM18.9 million);
• Penang Transport Master Plan (RM17.23 million); and
• affordable homes (RM8.67 million);

In addition, money has been allocated to pay civil servants in the state a half-month bonus, or a minimum of RM1,200.

Meanwhile, the state legislative assembly also approved the creation of a bipartisan committee on federal-state relations to review issues and policies coming from Putrajaya, as well as projects that require federal funds.

The committee will also look into the decentralisation of the powers and resources from Putrajaya and increasing autonomy for the state government.

This committee is chaired by the state’s deputy chief minister P Ramasamy.

Committee members from the ruling Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition are Teh Lai Heng (Komtar), Gooi Hsiao Leung (Bukit Tengah), M Satees (Bagan Dalam), Lee Khai Loon (Machang Bubuk) and Faiz Fadzil (Permatang Pasir)

Meanwhile, committee members representing the opposition are state opposition leader Yusoff Noor (BN-Sungai Dua), Yusni Mat Piah (Perikatan Nasional-Penaga) and Khaliq Mehtab Ishaq (PN-Bertam). - FMT