KUANTAN: The Pahang government is targeting a revenue collection of RM1.137 billion in 2024, which represents the highest projection in history with a five per cent increase compared to the revenue target in Budget 2023.
Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail (pix) said among the sources of income to achieve this target are new sources such as renewable energy and income from the industrial sector as there have been new investments made recently.
“We will also manage leakages better because there are several agencies found to be planting (opening up farms) more than (the area of land) we have given. We will ask them to pay taxes to the state government,“ he said at a press conference after tabling the Pahang Budget 2024 themed ‘Pahang Prihatin, Rakyat Makmur’ at Wisma Sri Pahang here today.
“If they are not agreeable, we will take the land back and give it to another party that is willing to pay us the revenue.”
According to Wan Rosdy, the Pahang Budget 2024 is prepared in detail and covers all layers of society as well as covers various aspects including agriculture, tourism, entrepreneurs, investments, infrastructure and education.
Among new matters in the Pahang Budget 2024 will be the establishment of the ‘Tabung Prihatin Pahang’ (Pahang Prihatin Fund), with an allocation of RM5 million to help the B40 group including in financing treatment of chronic diseases and the establishment of the Malaysia Mineral Academy Pahang (AMMP), with an allocation of RM2.21 million, in Lipis.
“The Lipis district was chosen because there are many minerals in the western part of Pahang. This academy is a learning centre that offers education and training programmes as well as technical services based on the mineral industry,“ he said.
To help jobseekers, especially new graduates, Wan Rosdy said the state government has allocated RM2.5 million to establish a database known as CariKerja@Pahang for job opportunities in Pahang.
Apart from this, there will be an allocation of RM58.93 million to improve the agricultural sector and agricultural base, RM1.35 million to continue the ‘Program Langganan Perkhidmatan Jalur Lebar Satelit’ (PRISMA) 2.0 for areas facing internet access problems including Orang Asli and traditional villages.
From the educational aspect, Wan Rosdy said among the programmes that will be implemented will be the ‘Program Peningkatan Pendidikan Murid Asli’ (PEDULI) which aims to guide Orang Asli pupils to continue their studies after finishing their secondary schooling and the ‘Baca Cepat Kawanku (BCK) Program’ for Year One pupils in 12 pilot Orang Asli and interior schools.
“Several initiatives have been given to the Orang Asli community, among them the ‘Program Baik Pulih Rumah Orang Asli’. with an allocation of RM1.5 million; RM300 per couple under the Orang Asli first marriage incentive; and Orang Asli Youth Development Programme with an allocation of RM200,000,“ he said.
He also said an allocation of RM1.65 was also given to upgrade and maintain the Pahang Sports Council’s facilities such as its shooting range, open court and gymnasium, in addition to RM2 million to prepare Pahang athletes for the Malaysia Games (SUKMA) in Sarawak next year.
Next year, Wan Rosdy said the state government will continue to help the people with existing programmes such as ‘Bantuan Prihatin Pahang’ (BPP), with an allocation of RM38.08 million; giving RM300 for 25,000 newborn babies; and RM7.5 million towards providing school aid to students from hardcore poor families. -Bernama
