KUCHING: Sarawak is not in a position to provide financial assistance to other states in Malaysia despite achieving high-income status, says Tan Sri Abang Johari Openg.

The Premier said the Federal Government is responsible for helping poorer states, while Sarawak's priority is to continue its own development.

"Sarawak is a state, we are not the Federal Government. If Sarawak is now developing, it's because we manage our economy well.

"For the other states, it's up to them to work hard. How can we give to other states when our own development is not done yet?" he told reporters after opening the Sarawak Sustainability Insights conference here on Tuesday (Oct 29).

Abang Johari was responding to Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad's comment that Sarawak should help more backward Malaysian states to develop now that it had achieved high-income status.

In an interview with a news portal on Monday (Oct 28), the former prime minister said Sarawak's budget of RM11bil was much higher compared to Kedah's RM700mil, adding that richer states must share their wealth with the poorer ones.

Sarawak was recognised as a high-income state by the World Bank last year based on its gross national income (GNI) per capita of above USD13,205 (RM61,608).

Abang Johari said it was unfair to compare Sarawak's budget to Kedah's as Sarawak was a much bigger state, nearly as large as Peninsular Malaysia.

He also said Sarawak's high-income status was based on GNI but there was still a need to increase household income and develop rural areas.

"We still have many dilapidated schools. Sarawak has to come up with our own funds to repair them.

"Our rural people still face challenges and we have to help them. We will use our revenue to build bridges and roads and to supply electricity and water," he added.