Melaka CM tables RM375m surplus budget for 2010

2009/11/09

MELAKA: Mohd Ali said concerted efforts will be made to enhance Melaka's image as the country's leading tourist spot and revolutionise the civil service administration to attain the performance of a high-integrity civil service.

Under the operational expenditure, RM68.9 million has been allocated for emoluments, services and supply (RM96.8 million); dividends and fixed payments (RM192.2 million); miscellanous expenditure (RM15.6 million); and asset procurement (RM1.5 million).

Of the RM127.4 million allotted for development, RM91.8 million will be spent for infrastructure development; housing (RM10.5 million); agriculture (RM4.6 million); social amenities (RM12.1 million); and community development programmes (RM8.4 million), he said.

On economic performance, Mohd Ali said Melaka was also affected by the global economic crisis, registering -6.2 per cent growth in the first quarter of this year.

Nonetheless, he said, several economic indicators showed positive growth for the period between January and June as compared to the same period last year.

For instance, he said, tourist arrivals picked up 24.6 per cent to 4.05 million in the first six months of this year vis-a-vis 3.26 million in the same period last year.

Melaka earned RM253 million from road tax in the Jan-June period as compared to RM153.6 million, up 64.7 per cent, last year, mainly from higher tourist arrivals.

Mohd Ali also said the federal government, under the first economic stimulus package, injected RM78.6 million to implement 1,526 projects and RM236.8 million under the second stimulus package to carry out 1,554 projects.

" These projects served as a catalyst to generate more private sector economic activities to ensure the people's well-being," he said.

For the 13th Malaysia Games (Sukma) to be hosted by Melaka from June 10 to 19 next year, the state government will spend RM105.7 million to build new and upgrade existing sports facilities for the biennial games. - Bernama