Padungan rep urges Sarawak to scrap airport, ART project, deep-sea port amid overspending concerns

Chong participating in the debate on Sarawak Budget 2026 during DUNS Sitting on Oct 14, 2026.

By Karen Bong

KUCHING, Oct 14: Padungan assemblyman Chong Chieng Jen has urged the Sarawak government not to proceed with the proposed RM10 billion new Kuching International Airport, halt further development of the Kuching Urban Transportation System (KUTS) autonomous rapid transit (ART) project and scrap the proposed deep-sea port, warning that overestimating revenue and excessive spending could combine to cause “budgeting blunders”.

Debating the Sarawak Budget 2027 at the Sarawak Legislative Assembly (DUNS) sitting today, Chong called for greater fiscal prudence, urging the government to reconsider major infrastructure commitments amid consecutive years of budget deficits.

“Instead, spend a few hundred million ringgit to upgrade the existing Kuching International Airport and double its capacity, convert completed or partially built ART infrastructure into additional lanes for commuters, cars and public buses to ease traffic congestion, and expand Bintulu Port Authority’s facilities if additional port capacity was needed,” he proposed.

Beyond infrastructure spending, Chong called for reversing the increase in the number of elected representatives, saying the addition of 17 seats would significantly increase State expenditure.

He also urged the government to stop using private jets for overseas trips, stressing that tighter spending controls were necessary to prevent recurring deficits and ensure public funds were used responsibly.

Chong said Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg had described Budget 2027 as a “budget of optimism”, but cautioned that optimism must be backed by realistic revenue estimates and disciplined spending.

“While it is good to be optimistic, the danger lies in being over-optimistic in one’s revenue estimation which, if coupled with over-extravagance in one’s expenditure, will be a potent combination for budgeting blunders,” he said.

Citing the State’s financial performance in 2025, Chong said the budget had projected revenue of RM14.2 billion against expenditure of RM13.7 billion, anticipating a surplus of RM500 million.

However, actual revenue reached only RM12.5 billion while expenditure rose to RM15.1 billion, resulting in a deficit of RM2.6 billion, he said, referring to the Auditor-General’s Report 2/2026 on Sarawak.

For 2026, he said the State initially estimated revenue at RM13 billion and expenditure at RM12.9 billion.

The federal government subsequently increased its special grant to Sarawak from RM600 million to RM1.5 billion in September, providing an additional RM900 million.

Without the additional grant, Chong estimated that State revenue would have reached RM12.6 billion, falling RM400 million short of the initial projection.

Meanwhile, revised expenditure rose to RM14.3 billion. Even with the additional federal grant, Sarawak was expected to record a deficit of RM800 million in 2026, he said.

“Without it, the deficit would have reached RM1.7 billion,” he added.

Chong also questioned the reliability of Budget 2027’s projections, which estimate revenue of RM15.091 billion against RM14.845 billion in ordinary expenditure, yielding a projected surplus of RM246 million. Development expenditure is budgeted at RM10.098 billion. — DayakDaily