KUCHING (Feb 2): Sarawak recorded a revenue of RM11.9 billion for 2022, the highest revenue performance ever achieved by the state.

Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg said the figure had surpassed its projected revenue of RM10.2 billion by 17%.

He said Sarawak’s revenue comprises four main categories, namely tax revenue, non-tax revenue, non-revenue receipts, and federal grants and reimbursements.

Abang Johari said tax revenue contributed RM6.7 billion or 56% of total revenue, while the other categories made up 44%.

“Under the tax revenue category, the state sales tax (SST) contributed 84% or RM5.6 billion of total tax revenue collected. Taxable products under the SST, among others, were oil and gas products, oil palm products and aluminium.

“The improved performance in SST collection was due to higher market prices in 2022 for oil and gas products and oil palm products,” he told a press conference at the state assembly building here on Thursday (Feb 2).

Abang Johari said the Sarawak government would continue to study and look into various key initiatives to increase the state’s revenue through enhancing, widening and diversifying its revenue sources.

He added that the state government had decided to continue extending the Bantuan Khas Sarawakku Sayang on electricity bill discounts of 5% to 25% for domestic and commercial users and industries for the first six months of this year.

He said the initiative would involve a sum of RM200 million.