SHAH ALAM, Nov 2 — Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari had yesterday unveiled the much anticipated Belanjawan Selangor 2020 (Selangor Budget 2020), with the theme “Selangor Premium State, Life Uplifted”.
The state 2020 budget has allocated RM1.13billion or 48.6 per cent for development expenditure out of the total RM2.33billion allocation.
Focusing on five main thrusts of infrastructure and economy, education, health and security, environment, and social welfare, here are some pointers on what is in store for the people of Selangor.
Generating Growth and Empowerment of State Economy
In boosting the economy and generating growth, some of the initiatives under the first strategy are:
1. Continuation of the Smart Selangor initiative, with an allocation of RM50 million.
2. RM178million allocated to the Public Works Department (JKR) for infrastructure works which include the building of bridges (RM11.8million), construction of new roads (RM52.1million), upgrade of existing roads (RM94.75million), improving road safety (RM9million), and slope repair works (RM2.35million).
3. The construction of 4,800 Rumah Idaman units for the B40 and M40 groups, priced at RM250,000 per home, located in Kajang, Bangi and Paya Jaras.
3. RM2million for the upgrade works of local councils’ basic facilities and infrastructure.
4. Allocation of RM84.4million for flood mitigation project and drainage upgrade.
5. For Selangor water management, RM116.5million was allocated which includes the Labohan Dagang Phase 2 project.
6. RM36.8million allocation for entrepreneurship programmes, such as the Selangor Entrepreneurs Mini Expo.
7. RM9.7million allocation to boost the tourism industry in the state.
Planning of an Uplifted Education Agenda
The state government has allocated a total RM334.15million for the education sector. Some of the distribution are as follow:
1. Selangor Tuisyen Programme, which has benefitted 10,000 students in 2019 as compared to 4,453 students in 2018, will receive an allocation of RM10million for students sitting for the UPSR and SPM examinations.
2. RM3million will benefit 5,000 recipients under the Selangor kindergarten (Tunas) programme. In 2019, the scheme had helped 3,636 recipients.
3. The rebranding of the Selangor Brain Bank to the Selangor Bitara Programme sees an allocation of RM4million for outstanding students from level Form 4 onwards.
4. Inisiatif Kemahiran Teknikal dan Iktisas Smart Selangor (Iktisass) will be given an RM20million budget for human resource development, which includes boosting Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET).
5. The Selangor State Scholarship Provident Fund (TKWBNS) will receive RM16.6million.
6. Schools in Selangor are allocated RM26million for the refurbishment of infrastructure. This would include Sekolah Agama Rakyat, Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan Cina, Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan Tamil, as well as Sekolah Mubaligh and Sekolah Menengah Jenis Kebangsaan.
7. RM237.89 million has been allocated for Islamic education, where RM199.82 will be given to the education sector of the Selangor Islamic Affairs Department (Jais) to pay the salary of Al-Quran and Fardhu Ain (Kafa) teachers and contract staff.
Creating a Safe and Healthy Selangor
Under the health sector, the following are some of the main initiatives:
1. RM42.5million allocated for the state’s Skim Peduli Sihat (SPS), which will benefit 85,000 recipients, an additional 20,000 people to the 65,000 recipients in the previous year.
2. Due to the increased number of Tuberculosis cases in the state, RM2million is allocated for the treatment of 3,750 patients with a household income of RM1,000 and below.
3. RM5million allocation for the prevention and control of dengue cases in the state.
4. As mental health is expected to be the second-largest health concern in Selangor next year, RM1million will be disbursed for awareness programmes and preventive measures.
5. Selangor civil servants will be allocated RM1.5million for health screenings, which would benefit about 1,000 staff.
In enhancing the safety measures in the state, the Selangor government has taken the following measures:
1. Installation of 5,000 closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras, completed with face recognition which will be managed from a command centre. As of October this year, there have been 775 CCTVs installed across the state.
2. In empowering the police force, RM2million will be disbursed for the Skim Polis Bantuan, which would benefit 180 personnel.
3. RM2million allocation for a community grant to improve the safety features of communities.
Other initiatives announced for communities are:
1. RM1,200 monthly allowance for the head of Indian communities, where a total of RM700,000 was allocated
2. RM30million for the continuation of the Smart Selangor free bus service. The state administration will also impose an RM1 charge for foreigners utilising the bus service.
Guaranteed Environmental Sustainability
In efforts to address the issue of global warming, the state government has taken the following steps:
1. Installation of solar panels at all state government buildings.
2. In line with the Low Carbon City Framework and the state government’s effort to reduce carbon dioxide emission to 40 per cent by 2030, RM500,000 is allocated for the planting of 5,000 trees in major towns in the state.
3. All state local councils will have comprehensive waste recycling centres, where RM600,000 is allocated for the initiative to boost the practice of recycling.
4. RM500,000 allocated for river conservation programme
Championing Social Sustainability
Several initiatives were announced to uphold a sustainable social environment for the people of Selangor, including:
1. RM800,000 allocation for the Selangor Job Fair, which would be the second time next year. The maiden programme in March 2019 saw 20,000 visitors and involving 180 private companies as well as 20 government agencies and departments.
2. RM1million allocated to address and combat social ill issues
3. RM9.24million allocated to boost the sports industry as well as the upgrade of existing infrastructure. This includes an RM10million funds to strengthen the Selangor Red Giants football team
4. To focus on the empowerment of women and family, RM67million was allocated for several programmes, such as the Kasih Ibu Smart Selangor (KISS), and Work from Home.
5. For housing development, 6,379 units of Rumah Selangorku will be constructed in 2020, as the state government targets to complete 22,664 units by 2023.
