KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Youth Council (MBS-Majlis Belia Sabah) welcomed the RM3.81 billion State Budget 2015 presented by Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman on Friday.
Its president Kevin Lim said despite a decline from RM4.62 billion the previous year, the lower figure was a prudent approach without affecting the programme or the state development plan as a whole. And he said this could be shown from the number of four-star and Triple A ratings from the Auditor General, which doubled from nine to 20 from 2012 to 2013.
“This is certainly a proud achievement for the state. Not only did the ratings double in numbers, it also gave Sabah the best financial record in the country (for two consecutive years),” Kevin said in a statement yesterday, while congratulating Musa for bringing prosperity to the state.
He said MBS also extended congratulations to the state for successfully attracting large investment projects like the Sabah Oil and Gas Terminal (SOGT), Sabah Ammonia and Urea (Samur) and the Kimanis Power Plant.
“Mega projects such as these will help provide more economic opportunities for Sabahans. There will be more employment opportunities to help local youth to move forward,” Kevin said.
In State Budget 2015, which is considered prudent and with continued forward momentum, MBS praised and appreciated the state’s initiatives and measures to avoid compromise, especially on human capital development.
“The state government has allocated RM234.6 million through various ministries and agencies to ensure human capital in Sabah will have high intellectual quality, are critical thinkers, possess good interpersonal skills and are creative and at the same time innovative.
“We hope this will benefit extensively Generation Y because they make up 41 per cent of the state’s population,” said Kevin.
Towards this end, he thanked Musa for allocating RM14.91 million to non-governmental associations.
“We at MBS (representing 13 affiliates and grassroots associations) appreciate the continued recognition given by the state in playing a role in youth development programmes, particularly youth empowerment, association acculturation, entrepreneurial skills and social development and solidarity,” said Kevin.