KUDAT, Oct 17 (Bernama) -- The increased federal allocation of RM18.7 billion for Sabah under Budget 2027 will support efforts to strengthen basic amenities, improve service delivery and drive the state's economic growth.
Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor said the allocation, up from RM17.6 billion this year, would help the state continue addressing longstanding issues affecting the people, particularly those involving water supply, electricity and roads.
Budget 2027, tabled by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on Oct 9, also provides RM3.3 billion for road development in Sabah and Sarawak, as well as RM350 million for federal road maintenance works, he said.
“The state government is studying the people's current needs, the state's financial capacity and the continuity of development under the Sabah Maju Jaya (SMJ) 2.0 Roadmap for 2026 to 2030 to ensure the state budget prioritises education, housing, welfare and the people's economy,” he said.
Hajiji was speaking at the closing ceremony of the Tanjong Kapor State Legislative Assembly's Sentuhan Kasih Rakyat Programme at Dataran Tomborungus here tonight.
Also present were Minister of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali and Tanjong Kapor assemblyman Datuk Ben Chong.
Hajiji said Sabah's revenue had remained high in recent years, recording RM6.96 billion in 2022, RM6.97 billion in 2023, RM6.87 billion in 2024 and RM6.76 billion in 2025.
He said the figures were higher than the approximately RM4 billion collected in 2019 under the previous state administration.
“With continued efforts to diversify revenue sources and prudent financial management, I am confident that the state's revenue collection in 2026 can surpass RM7 billion. This increase in revenue will be channelled into projects and initiatives that provide tangible benefits to the people,” he said.
Meanwhile, Hajiji said the state government was formulating a long-term plan to develop Kudat into a regional Blue Economy hub, leveraging its marine resources and strategic location near international markets such as China, South Korea, Japan and the Philippines.
He said the plan included a proposed Blue Economy Industrial Park under the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP), to be spearheaded by the Sabah Economic Development Corporation (SEDCO) and incorporating maritime and green technology concepts.
For the initial phase, Hajiji said a master plan was being prepared for 1,205 acres (487.6 hectares) of SEDCO-owned land in Kampung Limau-Limawan and Parapat Laut. A further 3,129 acres (1,266.2 hectares) in Matunggong, Banggi and Tanjong Kapor were also identified.
“The project focuses on developing the seafood processing industry, deep-sea fishing, upgrading coastal ‘bagang’ (traditional fishing structures), and the proposed construction of a port to serve as a regional trade and logistics hub,” he said.
On the Sentuhan Kasih Rakyat Programme, Hajiji said the event's ‘four-in-one’ concept combined the Jom Malaysia Carnival, the Rahmah MADANI Sales Programme and Mobile Community Services (MCS), with more than 30 stalls and counters operated by state and federal government agencies.
Hajiji said 14,000 heads of households in the Kudat parliamentary constituency alone had benefited from the Sentuhan Kasih assistance programme.
He also urged local entrepreneurs to improve the quality and branding of their handicraft, agricultural and fishery products to tap into wider market opportunities.
-- BERNAMA