While describing the targeted subsidy programmes in Budget 2019 as “better than in previous years”, Sabah Rural Development Minister Ewon Benedick said many people living in rural areas are not registered under the eKasih system.
This would mean they would have to pay for power even if their bill was under RM20 a month, he said.
“There are a lot of rural people not signed up with eKasih but with uncertain incomes of less than RM500 a month. They should enjoy this subsidy as well,” he said here today.
Benedick said members of families receiving welfare aid, but not registered with eKasih, should also continue to receive this benefit.
In tabling Budget 2019, Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng said at present, all households which consumed less than RM20 in electricity per month are fully subsidised by the government.
The government intends to make this policy more targeted where only the poor and hardcore poor registered with eKasih would qualify, he said.
In doing so, the government would be able to increase the subsidy to RM40 per month, benefiting 185,000 accounts, with an allocation of RM80 million, he added.
The eKasih system was developed to assist the government to better plan, implement and monitor poverty eradication programmes at the national level.
Oil royalty for Sabah
Meanwhile, Benedick, who is an Upko vice-president, admitted he had hoped the budget would cover the issue of oil royalty to Sabah.
“Personally, I had hoped it would touch on the royalty and 40% tax revenue due to Sabah, as stated in the Federal Constitution.
“If Petronas is giving a special dividend of RM30 billion to the federal government, then the government should be able to hand 5% from Petronas to Sabah, in addition to the 5% the state is already getting.
“This would make it 10% royalty for Sabah for the purpose of development in the state,” he said.
Benedick acknowledged that Economic Affairs Minister Azmin Ali had previously mentioned that a committee had been formed to discuss the payment mechanism and that this committee would give its input in six months’ time.
The Kadamaian assemblyman, however, praised the RM5 billion allocation to Sabah, continuation of the Pan Borneo Highway and RM60 billion budget allocation to the education ministry.