SEVENTH STRATEGY: PRIORITISING WELL-BEING OF THE RAKYAT 134. The prosperity of the nation is contingent upon its ability to provide a better quality of life and improved well-being of the rakyat. 135. To ease the burden of school expenses incurred by the parents and guardians of students, particularly for low-income group, the Government will continue the schooling assistance programme. Starting January 2015, a RM100 each will be given to all primary and secondary school students with an allocation of RM540 million which will benefit 5.4 million students. 136. In addition, for the purpose of purchasing reference books and instruments the Government will continue to implement the 1Malaysia Book Voucher Programme with the assistance of RM250 per student. A sum of RM325 million will be allocated for this programme and is expected to benefit about 1.3 million students. 137. To Strengthen Food Supply Chain, apart from assisting the farmers, breeders and fishermen to increase their income, the Government will allocate RM6 billion to Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry to implement the following initiatives: First: From 2015 to 2017, the Government will establish 65 permanent farmers’ markets and 50 fish markets that will operate daily in selected locations. To date, there are 526 farmers markets and 50 fish markets nationwide; Second: Introduce a weekly auction programme for quality vegetables at reasonable prices at 85 FAMA Trading Operation Centres and selected farmers markets nationwide; Third: Accelerating planting and replanting of fruit trees such as durian, mangosteen, langsat, rambutan as well as intensifying Jom Bertani Programme so the rakyat can cultivate cash crops and vegetables for their own consumption; and Fourth: Providing RM100 million matching grant to Farmers Organisation Authority to enable the members to obtain loans to improve farm productivity and marketing channels. 138. Apart from this, the Government will accelerate the development of four new Integrated Agriculture Development Area in Rompin, Batang Lupar, Kota Belud and Pekan involving paddy cultivation areas of 25,905 hectares. For a start, the Government will allocate RM100 million. 139. Every segment of society irrespective of where they are, are important. The Government is concerned with the development and welfare of the fishermen who continue to face various challenges. To address the issue of unstable income, especially during the monsoon season, as well as in less conducive environment in fishing villages, the Government will: First: Increase the living allowance for fishermen in Zone A to RM300 from RM200 a month. For the fishermen in Zone B and C, the living allowance will be increased to RM250; Second: Provide a monthly allowance of RM200 for the first time for full-time coastal fishermen. The allowance will benefit around 44,000 fishermen; Third: Further accelerate aquaculture activities such as cage farming of fish, shrimp, mussels and oysters to diversify sources of income of fishermen who are affected especially during the monsoon season. For this, a total of RM60 million is allocated; and Fourth: Install the Automatic Identification System on fishing boats to increase fish landing, ensure the fishing boats bearings are according to landing zones and reduce operating costs. For this, RM27 million will be allocated. 140. In the 2012 Budget, I announced an allocation of RM300 million for the Special Housing Fund for Fishermen to build and refurbish houses for fishermen. To continue with these noble efforts, I am pleased to announce an additional RM250 million for housing projects and to improve the living condition of fishing villages. 141. The Government is committed to implementing various initiatives including price uniformity scheme, transport subsidy and establishing more Kedai Rakyat 1Malaysia (KR1M). Among the measures that will be implemented by the Ministry of Domestic Trade, Co-operatives and Consumerism include: First: Establish another 20 KR1M in Peninsular Malaysia; Second: Set up price watch team comprising consumer associations; and Third: Strengthen GST Enforcement Unit with 2,270 personnel, Price Monitoring Unit with 1,300 personnel and Consumer Squads with 202,800 volunteers as well as involve 579 mukim and village heads. 142. To improve the public transport system, the Government will introduce the following programmes: First: Provide intercity bus services to those residing outside Kuala Lumpur (KL) but work in KL. The service will be offered with a discounted monthly fare of 30%. For a start, three bus routes will be operational namely the Rawang-KL; Klang-KL and Seremban-KL; Second: Provide Electric Train Service (ETS) for Ipoh-Butterworth route starting April 2015; and Third: Upgrade stage bus services in several states through a contracting system with existing bus companies. The programme will be implemented in phases in Kuching, Ipoh, Seremban, Kuala Terengganu and Kangar. 143. Recently, the Government provided a one-off special assistance of RM500 to rubber smallholders affected by the decline in rubber prices. The Malaysian Rubber Board (MRB) will allocate RM100 million to implement a regulatory price mechanism at the farm level to protect smallholders from losses incurred, particularly when the world market price falls below a minimum fixed price. MRB will also provide soft loans of RM6.4 million as working capital to 64 smallholder cooperatives to purchase rubber directly from 442,000 rubber smallholders nationwide. 144. For oil palm smallholders, the Government will continue to provide incentives for new planting and replanting with an allocation of RM41 million. Further, export duty exemption for crude palm oil (CPO) will be extended until December 2014. 145. For health services and facilities for the rakyat, the Government will allocate RM23.3 billion to implement the following initiatives: First: Build two hospitals namely Hospital Dungun in Terengganu and Hospital Seri Iskandar in Perak. Another 20 Health Clinics and four dental clinics, including health clinics in Kuala Lipis, Pahang and dental clinic in Kluang, Johor will be built; Second: Establish an additional 30 1Malaysia clinics, bringing the total to 290 clinics nationwide and build a health clinic in Cyberjaya. The Government will station 30 doctors in these clinics; Third: Replace 635 units of haemodialysis machines in Government hospitals and clinics with an allocation of RM30 million. To encourage private sector participation, the Government will also provide space in Government hospitals and health clinics to place another 244 haemodialysis machines which will be contributed by the private sector as part of their corporate social responsibility; and Fourth: Provide medicines for patients undergoing chronic and acute haemodialysis treatment with an allocation of RM45.4 million. 146. Currently, expenses incurred for treatment of serious diseases such as cancer, kidney failure and heart attack are given a tax relief up to RM5,000 per year. To reduce the burden of medical expenses and treatment of serious diseases, the Government proposes the existing tax relief be increased to RM6,000 per year. The relief is available to the tax payer, the spouse and children. 147. Currently, the dengue fever epidemic is getting worse. To contain the epidemic from spreading, dengue prevention programme will be enhanced through community awareness and purchasing dengue prevention equipment such as reagents, Ultra Low Volume and Mist Blower. Apart from that, the Government will distribute 55,000 dengue test kits free of charge to private clinics to expedite early dengue detection process. For this, RM30 million will be allocated. 148. The Government is concerned over those who need help and support. Consistent with this, the Government will allocate RM2.2 billion to the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development. Among the programmes that will be implemented include: First: Provide RM1.2 billion in financial assistance for poor families, children, senior citizens and the disabled (OKU). The Government also agrees to increase the allowance for working OKU from RM300 to RM350. Meanwhile, financial assistance for non-working OKU will be increased from RM150 to RM200. This will benefit 110,000 OKU involving RM66 million; Second: Increase tax relief for each disabled child from RM5,000 to RM6,000; Third: Increase tax relief for the purchase of basic supporting equipment for the tax payer, spouse, children and parents with disabilities from RM5,000 to RM6,000; Fourth: Increase the daily food allowance from RM8 to RM16 for 8,700 residents in 63 institutions under the Social Welfare Department; Fifth: Increase the annual grant for the National Council for Persons with Disabilities from RM500,000 to RM1 million; and Sixth: Establish an additional five Senior Citizens Activity Centres bringing it to a total of 50 centres nationwide as well as Senior Citizens Care Services programme which provides free transportation for senior citizens to hospitals. 149. In addition, to strengthen early childhood education, the Government will allocate RM711 million to the Ministry of Education, Tabika Kemas, PERMATA and Tabika Perpaduan. 150. To address the issue of home ownership at affordable prices, various projects and programmes will continue to be implemented, among them: First: Build 80,000 units under the 1Malaysia People’s Housing Programme (PR1MA) with an allocation of RM1.3 billion. To enable more people to own houses, the ceiling of household income is raised from RM8,000 to RM10,000. In addition, a Rent-To-Own Scheme will be introduced specifically for individuals who are unable to obtain bank financing; Second: National Housing Department (JPN) to build 26,000 units under the Peoples Housing Programme (PPR) with an allocation of RM644 million; and Third: Syarikat Perumahan Negara Berhad (SPNB) to build 12,000 units of Rumah Mesra Rakyat (RMR) and 5,000 units of Rumah Idaman Rakyat. SPNB will also build 20,000 units of Rumah Aspirasi Rakyat on privately-owned land. 151. To enable more people to own their first home and reduce the cost of buying a house, the Government has agreed to extend the 50% stamp duty exemption on instruments of transfer and loan agreements and increase the purchase limit from RM400,000 to RM500,000. The exemption will be given until 31 December 2016. 152. The Government also agrees to improve Skim Rumah Pertamaku under the purview of Cagamas by raising the ceiling price to RM500,000 in line with the stamp duty exemption. In addition, the age of borrowers to qualify for the scheme will be increased from 35 to 40 years. 153. To make the living conditions more comfortable for the rakyat who live in public low-cost housing, RM40 million will be allocated under the Public Housing Maintenance Programme. Meanwhile, RM100 million will also be allocated under the 1Malaysia Maintenance Fund for maintenance of private low-cost housing. 154. Currently, gains from the disposal of property under the Real Property Gains Tax Act 1976, are assessed formally. The Government has implemented the Self-Assessment System for individual and company income tax effective from the year 2001 and 2004, respectively. In tandem with the Governments aspiration to modernise the tax system and given that people are more responsible, it is proposed that tax on gains from the disposal of property be self-assessed by the taxpayer effective from the year 2016. 155. The Government remains committed to providing and upgrading rural facilities and infrastructure. A sum of RM4.5 billion will be allocated, particularly in Sabah and Sarawak for the implementing of the following programmes: First: Construction of 635 km of rural roads including former logging roads in Sabah and Sarawak with an allocation of RM943 million; Second: Implement electricity connection for 15,000 houses with an allocation of RM1.1 billion; Third: Implement rural clean water supply for 7,500 houses with an allocation of RM394 million; Fourth: Build and rehabilitate dilapidated houses involving 9,500 units with an allocation of RM200 million; Fifth: Increase the quality of rural air services in Sabah and Sarawak through maintenance and lease of new aircraft with an allocation of RM160 million; Sixth: Implement economic development programmes, infrastructure facilities and improve the living standard of the Orang Asli community with an allocation of RM352 million; and Seventh: Install an additional 10 lamp posts bringing it to 20 in every village nationwide, involving 22,000 villages and an allocation of RM26 million. This brings to a total of RM56 million for the provision of street lighting in villages. 156. Water supply is important for our daily life as well as for industries. In this regard, the Government will formulate a National Water Blueprint to ensure sustainable long-term water supply nationwide. These include holistic management of rivers, construction and improving water treatment plants. 157. Water supply sources will be diversified through groundwater exploration, and reuse of treated water for industries and agriculture as well as expanding the use of storm water retainer system. To address water supply shortage in the Klang Valley, the construction of Air Langat 2 Water Treatment Plant will be expedited. Costing RM3 billion, the plant will increase the supply of treated water to 1,130 million litres daily. 158. In addition, the Government will intensify efforts to address the problem of non-revenue water. A sum of RM112 million is allocated for setting up leakage control zones as well as detecting and repairing leaking pipes. 159. To increase the level of safety and public order as well as national security, RM17.7 billion is allocated to the ATM while RM9.1 billion, to the PDRM. A sum of RM804 million is also allocated to Maritime Enforcement Agency Malaysia to strengthen maritime enforcement. 160. The Government is committed to reducing the crime rate in the country, one of the NKRAs. For this, the Government will increase the intake of policemen by 11,757 personnel, build 14 Police Headquarters (IPK) and Police Stations including a new block for IPK Perlis as well as strengthen the PDRM police patrol through the purchase of 1,000 units of motorcycles.The Government will also allocate RM121 million for PDRM to implement various programmes under NKRA. 161. To increase the readiness of ATMs personnel and assets, RM7 billion will be allocated to purchase and maintain the defence assets. Apart from this, the welfare of armed forces personnel will also be improved, including health services and housing. 162. Meanwhile, to improve maritime safety, APMM will be allocated RM393 million. This is for improving operational efficiency and the purchase of seven new patrol vessels. 163. Jabatan Sukarelawan Malaysia or RELA under the Ministry of Home Affairs will continue to be a voluntary agency to assist the security forces to maintain peace and security of the nation. A sum of RM117 million will be allocated to strengthen the role of RELA, particularly for training and capacity building. 164. The Government recognises the important role played by NGOs. Therefore, I am pleased to declare 2015 as the year of empowerment of NGOs and volunteerism or MyNGO 2015. For this, the Government will provide a one-off grant of RM50 million to creditable NGOs, including uniformed bodies that are involved in community development programmes, unity, social welfare, consumerism, health and security.
Posted on: Fri, 10 Oct 2014 10:03:16 +0000
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