Penang City 2018 budget expected to have nearly RM200 million deficit

GEORGE TOWN: The Penang Island City Council (MBPP) has tabled a RM189.55 million budget deficit for 2018.
Mayor Datuk Maimunah Mohd Sharif said the council estimated income for next year to be at RM416.98 million, with the expected expenditure at RM606.53 million.
She said the deficit amount will be funded from the council’s savings and the collection of the assessment tax.
Allocations for the budget include RM78.68 million for cleanliness, RM11.84 million for safety, and RM166.44 million for public amenities and infrastructure. It has also allocated RM5.62 million for maintaining UNESCO heritage buildings and RM11.3 million for upgrading the drainage system.
“We take people’s view into account before the planning, people always come first,” she said during the council meeting at City Hall yesterday.
She said next year’s budget will be focusing more on maintaining public infrastructure, road and traffic infrastructure, and making a cleaner and greener Penang.
The theme for the 2018 budget is “Sustainable, Inclusive and Resilient City Budget”, she said.