Chai felt that a specific fund ought to be set aside in this coming Budget for the long overdue healthcare project in Kuching.
KUCHING (Sept 17): A business leader in the state is calling for a funding package to be provided under the Budget 2024 for the establishment of the Sarawak Cancer Centre here.
Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry Sarawak (ACCCIS) secretary-general Datuk Jonathan Chai felt that a specific fund ought to be set aside in this coming Budget for the long overdue healthcare project in Kuching.
“I hope that a budget or funding package would be provided in this coming Budget for the setting up of the cancer centre in Kuching, a long standing project which had been mooted for several years but yet to be implemented,” he said today when prompted for input for Budget 2024.
Chai said he would not expect much on any possible increase in the development expenditure in the coming Budget due to the constraint of the country’s fiscal position.
Despite so, he still hoped that Putrajaya would give special consideration to provide Sarawak a funding package to set up the cancer centre soon.
He also hoped that Sarawak and Sabah would be given a larger quantum of the development expenditure for next year.
“I hope that sufficient quantum of the development expenditure would be set aside for Sarawak and Sabah where their infrastructure is still far lagging behind compared to their counterparts in Peninsular Malaysia,” he said.
Chai further hoped that the recent elevation of high-income status by the economist of the World Bank together with the record-breaking collection of Sarawak’s revenue would not unreasonably become a ground to slash the allocation of funding to the state.
As a Sarawakian, he said he would like to see a fair and equitable review on the quantum of the “special grant” to Sarawak and Sabah as accorded under Article 112(D) of the Federal Constitution in this coming Budget.
He opined that an even further increase from the RM300 million agreed at the beginning of the year ought to be given to the Bornean states.
“It is high time for the federal government to put words into action to reflect its sincerity and commitment to recognise the historical pact under Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) and uplift the pace of development of Sarawak and Sabah,” he added.
Prime Minister and Finance Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is expected to table Budget 2024 in the Dewan Rakyat come Oct 13.