Datuk Christina Liew
KOTA KINABALU: Sabah, ironically one of the poorest states in Malaysia, deserves a bigger portion of the 2021 National Budget, said Member of Parliament for Tawau, Datuk Christina Liew.
She said resource-rich Sabah is an integral part of the Federation, and there would have been no Malaysia, without Sabah’s participation.
“We (Sabah) received RM5.2 billion under the 2020 Budget. This time around, Sabah needs more funds in view of the unrelenting COVID-19 pandemic which has spread among the community and claimed more lives.
“Essentially, food aid distribution is warranted for now, not just to cater to the B40 and other disadvantaged groups, but also to alleviate the plight of families adversely affected by the third wave of COVID-19 infections.
“Over the last three weeks, we have witnessed a daily 3-digit increase of cases in Sabah, the highest in the country as a whole. Given this unprecedented situation, our focus should be on combating the scourge while striving for economic recovery during this Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) period,” she said in a statement, Thursday.
Against this backdrop, Liew, who is a former Sabah Deputy Chief Minister, said Malaysians in Sabah anticipate a people-oriented and development-centric 2021 Budget.
On another note, she urged the Federal Government to consider, in all fairness, disbursing funds for each MP, irrespective of whether he or she is in the Government or Opposition or even an Independent MP, so that they can continue to serve their respective constituencies.
“After all, all of us are elected representatives with our inherent role and responsibilities, regardless of our political status. To deprive an Opposition area of funding would be tantamount to punishing the constituents who are also taxpayers and equally entitled to federal funds for development,” the Tawau MP reasoned.
Meanwhile, Liew, who is also Api Api Assemblywoman, praised the non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and individual Samaritans for having contributed to the food assistance distribution to those in need under the extended
Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO).
“I hope other charitable entities and NGOs will emulate their humanitarian gesture as Malaysians in Sabah are known to be a caring and supportive lot.”
She, however, said, to her knowledge, several potential donors were discouraged by the government’s recent notification that food basket donations by NGOs in the State must be channelled through the District Disaster Operations Control Centres (PKOBs).
“Perhaps the Government can duly consider the views of the public who are generally not in favour of this move,” Liew added.
