
Sabah assembly approves RM1.18 billion supplementary budget for 2025
State Finance Minister Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun tabled the bill, which was passed via majority voice vote after debates by 26 assemblymen.
The allocation is divided into six categories, with RM600 million designated for contributions to the Statutory Fund.
Other key allocations include RM204 million for administrative expenses, RM195 million for operational costs, RM84 million for domestic grants, RM54.4 million for investments, and RM50.7 million for special allocations.
Masidi clarified that the Finance Ministry received an additional RM789.1 million, including RM600 million for the Statutory Fund.
Of this, RM250 million will reduce the Development Account deficit without affecting cash flow.
Another RM185.5 million is allocated for general treasury services, RM3.6 million for ministry operations, and RM150 million for the Statutory Trust Fund to maintain roads and bridges statewide.
A RM200 million provision under the Special State Trust Fund will support initiatives like SENTOSA (student aid), SUBFLY (airfare subsidies), SUKSES (school activities), and infrastructure repairs.
Additionally, RM54.4 million from the treasury services budget will fund equity investments, RM89.1 million for infrastructure, and RM30 million for Kota Kinabalu City Hall.
The supplementary budget also includes RM147.6 million for the Works Ministry, RM94.4 million for the Chief Minister's Department, and RM55.7 million for the Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Industry Ministry.
Smaller allocations cover housing, community development, and youth programs.
For development expenditure, RM416 million is allocated across 83 projects under 10 ministries.
The Works Ministry receives the largest share (RM254.9 million), followed by Rural Development (RM82.5 million).
The assembly resumes tomorrow. – Bernama
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Daily Express
an hour ago
- Daily Express
Be more open on spending and projects: Bung
Published on: Tuesday, July 08, 2025 Published on: Tue, Jul 08, 2025 By: Sherell Jeffrey Text Size: Bung Moktar also expressed concern over the state of the Sabah Maju Jaya (SMJ) housing project which he says appears to have left many units incomplete across the State. Kota Kinabalu: Lamag Assemblyman Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin wants the State Government to be more open about how it spends taxpayers' money or decision-making about public projects and job promotions. 'This projection for the supplementary budget must be coordinated through good governance and when we say good governance, it means a government must be accountable,' he said when debating the Supplementary Supply Bill 2025, Monday. 'I do not question the need for this supplementary budget. What I question is why in the contributions to the recommended Statutory Funds amounting to RM600 million, a total of RM250 million is stored under the development fund group without detailed particulars. 'I want the detailed particulars of where this financial direction is used,' he said. Additionally, he noted percentage increases in various allocations, including a 25.5 per cent increase from the original budget of RM1.186 billion and a 35.7 per cent increase in contributions to the State Government's special trust fund amounting to RM200 million. 'We are happy that the State Government has reserve funds like in Sarawak, where their (Sarawak) reserve fund is around RM40 billion and their allocation is RM13 billion. Their people are also happy. 'In Sarawak, their state assemblymen get an allocation of RM5 - RM7 million per year. But what about us in Sabah?' 'What is the use of Sabah having lots of reserves if the people are suffering. We should use that money to make life easier for the people, help the people, solve the people's problems,' he said. He reiterated his call on the need for proper procedures in governance, questioning the rationale behind the government's civil servant job promotion decision, citing Datuk Seri Safar Untong's extended tenure as Sabah State Secretary. 'I want to ask the government about his (Safar) position. He is indeed very fortunate. Will his tenure be extended again? 'Why does he keep getting extended? What brilliance does he have? Is he cleverer, more brilliant than Bill Gates? Is that why he keeps getting extended. 'How about other senior government officers in Sabah? Are they not capable of being promoted to the position of State Secretary? Are they just waiting? Hanging without a rope? he said, pointing out the impact on career advancement opportunities for other senior government officers. 'If we want to see good governance, then we must choose according to procedures. Do not extend anymore because such extensions will hinder and weaken other civil servants and other officers from continuing to serve,' he said. For the record, Safar was initially appointed as Sabah State Secretary in 2019 and had his tenure extended in July last year. Bung Moktar also expressed concern over the state of the Sabah Maju Jaya (SMJ) housing project which he says appears to have left many units incomplete across the State. 'In Lamag, there are 40 SMJ houses. I want to know how many are completed, who are the recipients? In Sukau, how many houses are completed? 'Because from what I see, there are 20-30 houses that are not completed until today. So where did the money go for these SMJ houses? Where did the money go that these houses are abandoned? 'Throughout Sabah, SMJ houses are only about 50 – 60 per cent completed, while 40 per cent are not completed. 'For my Lamag constituency, I want to know who received these SMJ houses because the reports I got are that only relatives received them,' Bung Moktar said. He called for proper investigation into the housing project irregularities, noting that some officers from Unit Perancangan Kemajuan Rakyat have been detained, investigated and charged in connection with the project. 'This is not good. There must be transparency,' he said, requesting detailed written information about fund allocations and their recipients. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia


Daily Express
3 hours ago
- Daily Express
Lion's share for water, roads: State Assembly passes RM1.186 billion 2025 Supplementary Supply Bill
Published on: Tuesday, July 08, 2025 Published on: Tue, Jul 08, 2025 By: Larry Ralon Text Size: Masidi said RM789.1 million of the supplementary funds would be under the control of the Finance Ministry, comprising RM600 million for contributions to statutory funds, RM185.5 million under General Treasury Services and RM3.6 million for the Ministry's own operating expenses. Kota Kinabalu: The Sabah Legislative Assembly on Monday approved the 2025 Supplementary Supply Bill amounting to RM1,186,923,403 to ensure continuity of government administration and implementation of people-centric projects until end of year. A significant portion of the supplementary allocation totalling RM523.5 million will go towards addressing two major issues - water supply and road infrastructure - demonstrating the State Government's commitment and determination to resolve them. State Finance Minister Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun, who tabled the Bill, said the additional funding covers 53 expenditure heads. He said the 2025 supplementary allocation would finance six categories of expenditure: contributions to statutory funds (RM600 million or 51 per cent), administrative expenses (RM204 million or 17pc), operational expenses (RM195 million or 16pc), domestic grants (RM84 million or 7pc), investment purposes (RM54.4 million or 5pc) and special provisions (RM50.7 million or 4pc). Masidi said RM789.1 million of the supplementary funds would be under the control of the Finance Ministry, comprising RM600 million for contributions to statutory funds, RM185.5 million under General Treasury Services and RM3.6 million for the Ministry's own operating expenses. 'Of the contribution to statutory funds, RM250 million or 41.7pc will be added to the Development Fund to reduce the Development Account deficit, which does not involve cash flow. Meanwhile, RM150 million or 25pc will be channelled to the Statutory Trust Fund for the maintenance of roads and bridges throughout Sabah.' In addition, RM200 million or 33.3pc is proposed for the State Government's special trust fund to implement the Syukur, Budi, Sentosa, Subfly and Sukses, as well as for the construction and repair of water, road and utility infrastructure. RM185.5 million is proposed under general treasury services, which includes RM54.4 million for equity investment; RM89.1 million for infrastructure projects, including water treatment plant upgrades and new pipe installations, as well as small-scale infrastructure and public amenities; and RM30 million in domestic grants for Kota Kinabalu City Hall to clean marine debris around the city and islands, and to support non-governmental organisations (NGOs). A further RM12 million is proposed to fund public facility projects, including mosque upgrades and the construction of the Tawau International Cultural Centre. 'An additional RM147.6 million is proposed for the Works Ministry and its departments to maintain and repair drainage systems, treatment plants and water pump stations, restore disaster-damaged infrastructure, maintain government buildings, carry out electrical wiring, enforcement activities and other administrative and operational needs. 'RM94.4 million is proposed for the Chief Minister's Department and its agencies to fund state scholarship programmes, mosque and surau maintenance, upkeep of Raudah parks and other administrative and operational needs.' The Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Industry Ministry and its agencies are recommended to receive an additional RM55.7 million to cover the maintenance of drainage systems, river cleaning, flood mitigation and other administrative and operational costs. The Local Government and Housing Ministry and its agencies are allocated an additional RM25.9 million, among others, to settle cash advances for special financial aid to traditional leaders, grants-in-aid, rate replacement contributions and the upkeep of local authorities, as well as other operational expenses. Masidi said the Community Development and People's Wellbeing Ministry and its departments are allocated an additional RM16.2 million. Of that amount, RM4.5 million is to support the State's initiative to provide 100 haemodialysis machines to selected health facilities across Sabah. 'This reflects the State Government's commitment to helping kidney patients receive free treatment at nearby health centres. Another RM11.1 million is allocated for aid to fire and flood victims, support for senior citizens, orphans and the underprivileged, as well as the operations of preschools for children with disabilities. The remaining amount will fund administrative and operational expenses under this Ministry.' Other ministries and departments are allocated an additional RM58 million to cover various expenses, including RM15.6 million for allowances to Village Development and Security Committee (JKKK) chairmen, RM8 million for hosting the 11th Sabah Games (SAGA) in Tawau and RM34.3 million for other administrative, operational and service expenditures. The 2025 Development Estimates under Paper CMD.2 requires a further RM416,541,291, involving 83 expenditure heads across 10 ministries. Masidi said of this amount, RM224.5 million or 53.9pc is to be financed from the State Fund, RM188.5 million or 45.3pc from Federal loans and RM3.5 million or 0.8pc from Federal repayments. 'The largest share of RM254.9 million or 61.2pc under the Additional Development Estimates is proposed for the Works Ministry to fund projects under the Public Works Department, State Water Department, State Sewerage Services Department and State Railway Department. 'These include road projects for towns and small municipalities, special water supply programmes, sewerage schemes under local authorities and permanent railway line repairs,' he said. Of that amount, RM187.5 million is to be funded through Federal loans. The second largest allocation of RM82.5 million is for the Rural Development Ministry to fund small-scale rural development projects, poverty eradication, the People's Wellbeing Housing Programme (RSRS), the Alternative Rural Electricity Supply Programme (Belba – solar streetlights and generation set provision) and the Alternative Rural Water Supply Programme (Balba – clean water via gravity-fed systems and tube wells). The Chief Minister's Department is proposed to receive RM38.5 million for special development projects, surveying Native Customary Rights (NCR) land and the Sabah Satellite Positioning Reference Network, improving waste disposal systems in Kota Kinabalu, and constructing new mosques and religious schools under the Islamic Affairs Department. An additional RM1 million is allocated to the Sabah Land Development Board to service Federal loan repayments. 'An estimated RM17.4 million is proposed for the Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Industry Ministry, of which RM13.9 million comes from the State Fund to finance projects under the Fisheries Department and Irrigation and Drainage Department. The remaining RM3.5 million is under Federal repayments to support the Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory project in Kinarut.' A total of RM7.7 million is allocated to the Industrial Development and Entrepreneurship Ministry, including RM5.7 million for the preparation of vendor facility sites in Salut and infrastructure development in Industrial Zone 7 (IZ7) Phase 3. Another RM2 million is for infrastructure works in Sipitang Oil and Gas Industrial Park (Sogip), including electricity connection for Phases 1 and 2 of streetlight installations. The Youth and Sports Ministry is allocated RM4.84 million to fund the construction and maintenance of sports complexes across Sabah. Masidi said RM4.6 million is proposed for the Community Development and People's Wellbeing Ministry, which includes building facilities for children with disabilities, integrated centres for the disabled and elderly and senior citizens' homes. 'An additional RM2.9 million is proposed for the Tourism, Culture and Environment Ministry to support the development of Sabah Parks, tourism assets and upgrades to heritage sites under the Sabah Museum Department.' A further RM2.3 million is proposed for the Local Government and Housing Ministry to fund landscaping and the construction of office buildings for local authorities, and for the Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry to make final payments for the E-Desa Kg Pelakat Project in Sipitang. 'The majority of the additional allocation recommended this year is for addressing two major issues – water supply and roads. From the total amount in the supplementary estimate, RM523.5 million is for that purpose. 'This clearly shows the State Government's commitment and determination to resolve long-standing issues repeatedly raised by the people, which have also been politicised by parties with vested interests,' he said, adding the actual annual requirement to comprehensively address water and road issues exceeds RM2 billion. More than 20 government and opposition assemblymen debated the Bill. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia


Daily Express
3 hours ago
- Daily Express
All spending transparent and subject to audit, says Masidi
Published on: Tuesday, July 08, 2025 Published on: Tue, Jul 08, 2025 By: Larry Ralon Text Size: Masidi (seated) looking at the Supplementary Supply Bill (Amendment) 2025 while Sindumin Assemblyman Datuk Dr Yusof Yacob looks on. Kota Kinabalu: Sabah Finance Minister Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun firmly denied any suggestion that the State Government is attempting to conceal its expenditure ahead of the coming state election, stressing that all spending is fully transparent and subject to audit. He said the tabling of the 2025 Supplementary Supply Bill was grounded in experience and the best practices of State budget preparation. 'First and foremost, I would like to clarify that what we are presenting today is based on two key factors - our experience and practices in budget preparation; and to make it clear that there is no question of us concealing any expenditures just because we are approaching an election,' he said when winding up the debate on the Bill amounting to RM1,186,923,403, which was approved. According to Masidi, all government expenditures are subject to thorough and transparent audits to ensure no abuse of power or financial mismanagement. 'For the record, all spending will be audited. As Sabahans say, sooner or later, the truth will come out if something is amiss. So, in this context, there is no room for hiding expenditures that go against regulations,' he stressed. Masidi said the State Government works closely with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to uphold the highest financial governance standards. 'We maintain a close working relationship with the MACC. In fact, every year we open the channels of communication as widely as possible with MACC to ensure there is no misconduct. We strive to comply with the best principles of governance in managing government finances,' he added. Masidi also said the proposal to channel at least RM500,000 in disaster relief funds to district offices requires further consideration due to legal and procedural constraints. He said the establishment of a Disaster Trust Fund in each district would first require tabling and approval by the State Assembly, as stipulated under Section 10 of the Financial Procedure Act 1957. 'However, my Ministry has found that setting up such a trust fund would take considerable time. Therefore, it would be more appropriate for the fund to be centralised under the Chief Minister's Department and supervised by the State Disaster Management Committee,' he said in response to the matter raised during the debate. He also assured that his Ministry pays close attention to the need to improve tourism assets and conserve heritage buildings throughout the State. However, he said these efforts are subject to the State Government's financial capacity. Masidi also clarified that the RM44 million allocated to the Office of the Deputy State Secretary (Special Tasks) was to support various educational aid programmes in Sabah. The breakdown of the allocation is as follows: Baik (Computer Aid Programme) – RM2 million for 1,000 laptops to be distributed to higher education students from eKasih or B40 families. Budi (Higher Education Registration Assistance) – RM10 million as one-off cash assistance of RM1,500 to RM2,000 for B40/M40 students enrolling at IPTs. Bakti (Special Exam Aid) – RM8 million for a one-off RM200 assistance to 40,000 B40 students sitting for SPM/STPM/STAM exams. Bagus (Parent-Teacher Association Aid) – RM3 million for 1,500 PTAs to carry out school-related activities. Bisbah (Sabah School Equipment Aid) – RM10 million to provide educational equipment to 1,600 schools. Bistari (State Education Trust Fund) – RM2 million in SSPN savings of RM100 each for newborns. Aksa (Education Excellence Award) – RM100,000 in awards for outstanding students/educators representing Sabah at national or international levels. Bantu (Education Programme Support) – RM1.3 million for education programmes that benefit students. Semesta (Sabahan Student Secretariat) – RM300,000 to fund student association activities across Malaysia and abroad. Balkis (Minor School Maintenance Aid) – RM4 million for small-scale school repairs costing below RM50,000. Mahas (Sabah Halal Council) – RM1.5 million for coordination, enforcement, halal expos and halal/syariah-compliant certification programmes. Bakpa (Religious Activity Support) – RM1.3 million for religious-related programmes. Sabah Language and Literature Council – RM500,000 to support activities related to local language and literature. 'The total allocation is intended to benefit students and educational institutions across the State, including initiatives related to student welfare, personal development and academic excellence,' said Masidi. He stressed that the State Government remains committed to delivering inclusive and comprehensive education support, despite current financial limitations. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia