SEREMBAN, Nov 30 — The Negeri Sembilan State Legislative Assembly today unanimously passed the state’s Budget 2023 themed ‘Melunas Janji, Menggalas Harapan’ to balance livelihood needs and strengthen the economy.
The Supply Bill 2023, which allocated RM550 million with an estimated revenue of RM450 million, a development budget of RM130 million and a deficit of RM100 million, was debated for three days from November 25 involving 36 assemblymen.
Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Aminuddin Harun said the budget covers all sectors which would continue to be empowered to ensure the people are assisted in dealing with the rising cost of living, besides ensuring the continuity of food supplies.
During the winding-up session, Aminuddin, who is also Port Dickson MP, said the state government had increased the allocation for the Department of Irrigation and Drainage from RM10.13 million in 2022 to RM11.9 million next year for flood mitigation and river basin management projects.
For the record, he said RM39.55 million (59.69 per cent) of the total development budget of RM66.26 million had been allocated for that purpose from 2018 to 2023.
“The state government prioritises the welfare of the people in dealing with and preventing flood incidents through annual allocations provided specifically to maintain drainage systems and river basins,” Aminuddin said.
To deal with disasters, the state government also allocated RM2 million as contingency savings for next year compared to RM500,000 in 2022.
Earlier, Palong state assemblyman Mustapha Nagoor, when debating the Bill, said the preparation of land lots for the new Felda generation should be done consistently in addition to cooperating with the federal government in realising the dreams of the second and third generation of Felda settlers to own a home.
Sungai Lui state assemblyman Mohd Razi Mohd Ali said it was the dream of the settler’s children to own a house and operate their family’s farms.
The state assembly sitting was adjourned sine die.
— Bernama
