KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 26 — The RM1 billion increase in allocations for rural development is not intended to buy support ahead of the next general election, Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said today.
The rural and regional development minister said the increase is meant to meet all of the Putrajaya’s prior commitments to rural development, and has nothing to do with the elections.
“We don’t know where the election will be held so you can’t call it an election budget.
“Elections can be held in 2018 and if that’s the case then there will be another budget,” he told a press conference here.
Rural voters form the core of Umno’s power base and have played an instrumental role in keeping the Barisan Nasional lynchpin in power since Independence.
The development expenditure for his ministry under Budget 2017 was increased by 21 per cent to just over RM5 billion compared to RM4 billion for this year.
Overall allocation totalled RM9 billion, the same as last year although more than half of it went to the ministry’s operating costs.
Much of the development budget will go to infrastructural projects that include new roads, over 70,000 lamp posts and housing for members of the government’s plantation agencies Felcra and Risda.
RM2 billion was allocated for Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA) Scholarship, amount similar to this year’s budget.
Ismail said the government will not budge from its commitment to aid bright Bumiputera students despite the government’s financial predicament.
Instead, MARA would adjust the programme to manage its funds better by prioritising scholarship distribution to lower-income households.
“We have never stopped giving the scholarships and we will continue to give them,” Ismail said.
Prior to this, MARA opened up its scholarship to all bright Bumiputera students, but the amount varied according to the family’s income level.
