JOHOR BARU: The state government has outlined four economic impetus and 12 agendas to help ease the people’s burden and intensify the reopening of the state’s economy post-Covid-19.
Mentri Besar Datuk Hasni Mohammad said the packages cover various aspects, including agriculture, digitalisation, business, human capital development, governance, tourism, youth, rural community and welfare.
“The economic impetus includes empowering social protection and human capital, improving food security, expanding digitalisation and renewing the investment ecosystem and green economy.
“We will be spending RM870mil for these initiatives next year,” he said while unveiling a deficit Budget 2022 titled Intensify Johor’s Prosperity, amounting to RM286.47mil.
Hasni said projected revenue stood at RM1.67bil while expenditure was parked at RM1.95bil.
He said the welfare agenda was allocated the lion’s share with RM135mil set aside for four initiatives to help the people.
“To ease the burden of the needy, some RM90mil will be channelled via the Kasih Johor programme by increasing the number of B40 recipients from 300,000 to 450,000.
“We will also continue to allocate RM33mil to give one-off cash aid to primary and secondary students from families with an income of between RM3,001 and RM7,000,” he said, adding that some 220,000 students would stand to benefit.
Hasni also said a special allocation of RM5mil to Yayasan Sultanah Rogayah and RM7mil to Yayasan Sultanah Fatimah would continue to be given.
“To help the hardcore poor, we would allocate RM500,000 for social welfare and to institutions,” he said.
On the implementation of Budget 2021, he said so far, RM850mil had been spent for 141 initiatives, at a completion rate of 85.1% under the key performance indicator up to the third quarter.
He said two agendas have achieved a 100% KPI under business and governance while seven others between 80% and 99% including welfare, youth, digital, caring, human capital, majestic (tourism) and infrastructure.
“Three agendas achieved a KPI of 60% to 79% – rural communities, agriculture and Madani (religion),” he added.
In his speech, Hasni announced that all 56 assemblymen would receive RM200,000 annually to take care of their constituencies.
“An additional RM50,000 will be given annually to help organise major festivals such as Hari Raya, Chinese New Year, Deepavali and others,” he said.
“We will also invite opposition assemblymen as observers; they will attend their respective district action committee meetings.”
Hasni said all civil servants would receive a special payment worth half a month’s salary or a minimum of RM1,000 by the end of the year.
He said the special payout would also cover all religious school teachers, all those in the community-based rehabilitation centres and religious kindergarten teachers.