Chong Chieng Jen (PH-Stampin) said while the allocation of RM5.6 billion was a larger amount, it was actually less in terms of percentage of the state’s total development expenditure, which is expected to increase this year.

Sarawak is expected to spend RM99 billion on development this year, he said.

“Therefore, RM5.6 billion is only about 5.6% from the total development expenditure for Sarawak,” he said when debating the supply bill in the Dewan Rakyat.

Chong said the previous allocations for Sarawak covered more of its yearly development expenditure, adding that the highest allocation, RM4.3 billion, was set aside in 2019.

The sum came up to 7.9% of the total development expenditure then, which stood at RM54 billion.

In 2021 and 2022, Chong said the federal government allocated funds for its development which covered about 6.5% of its total expenditure.

In 2022, Sarawak received RM4.6 billion under the national budget.

Yesterday, a leader from a Gabungan Parti Sarawak component party and a GPS assemblyman had both expressed unhappiness with the development funds set aside for Sarawak in Budget 2023.

Sarawak United People’s Party secretary-general Sebastian Ting said the RM1 billion increase was merely a “drop in the bucket” in view of the state’s overall needs for development, while Tellian assemblyman Royston Valentine said Sarawak should have received more funds under Budget 2023 in view of its size and population.