DUN approves additional RM120 mln in 2026 expenditure

THE Sarawak Legislative Assembly (DUN) today (Oct 14) approved an additional RM120,003,793 in ordinary expenditure for 2026.

The Supplementary Supply (2026) Bill, 2026, was tabled by Deputy Premier and Second Minister of Finance and New Economy Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas and seconded by Minister of Women, Early Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah.

Uggah said the additional allocation was required to meet the costs of various services incurred by ministries and departments for which funds had either not been provided or were insufficient under the original 2026 expenditure estimates and the First Supplementary Estimates, 2026.

He said the Second Supplementary Estimates of Ordinary Expenditure, 2026, contained in Command Paper No. 9 of 2026, were laid before the House pursuant to Article 32 of the State Constitution.

Details of the additional expenditure were provided in Command Paper No. 10 of 2026.

The approval comes after Sarawak’s estimated ordinary expenditure for 2026 was revised upwards from RM12.905 billion to RM14.348 billion, an increase of RM1.443 billion or 11.2 per cent.

Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg presented the revised figures when tabling the Sarawak Budget 2027 on Monday (Oct 12).

As of Sept 30, RM9.434 billion, representing 66 per cent of the revised ordinary expenditure allocation, had been utilised.

Of this amount, RM3.959 billion was for operating expenditure, while RM5.475 billion was allocated to statutory funds.

For development expenditure, RM5.604 billion, or 58 per cent of the RM9.663 billion allocation, had been spent over the same period.

Earlier in May, the DUN approved the First Supplementary Supply (2026) Bill, 2026, involving an additional RM1.323 billion in ordinary expenditure.

The House also approved RM391 million in development expenditure for government commitments, infrastructure works and state programmes.

Today, the Supplementary Supply (2026) Bill, 2026, passed its second reading before being referred to the Committee of Supply for consideration.

The committee subsequently considered the bill alongside the Second Supplementary Estimates of Ordinary Expenditure, 2026, and agreed to both without amendment.

The bill was then read a third time and passed by the House.