KUCHING, Feb 25 — Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Openg today expressed his gratitude to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim for allocating RM5.6 billion for the state’s development in Budget 2023.
He said he also welcomed the efforts by the federal government to rehabilitate dilapidated schools and clinics in the state.
“This is important for the state even though, I feel, the total allocation is insufficient. But I do wish to express my gratitude to the prime minister, who is also the minister of finance,” Abang Johari told reporters after visiting a road project in Satok here.
He said he told the prime minister that the state government will continue to provide water and electricity to the rural areas in the efforts to eradicate poverty.
“I have said to him that if the federal government wishes to give more funds, we will welcome even though we have the funds,” he said.
He added that the state government will continue with its development projects, such as coastal road network using its own funds
He said the state government always used revenue from Petronas for poverty eradication programmes, such as to provide water and electricity supplies to the rural areas and roads.
“I have informed the prime minister that we will continue with providing these projects to eradicate poverty,” he said
He said providing these basic facilities to the remote rural areas is among the ways to eradicate poverty in Sarawak.
He said another way to get rid of poverty is to provide education to the rural population.
“If we raise the level of education among the rural communities, with the knowledge they have, they can utilise their landed property to improve their living standard,” he said.
He said it is because of this that he does not agree with the e-Kasih programme for the rural communities.
He stressed that the programme will not help to elevate the standard of the rural communities.
“We should not give fish to them, but rather teach them how to fish,” he said.
