Kelantan not begging for alms, Hadi tells Putrajaya

Kamles Kumar Kamles Kumar Updated 7 years ago · Published on 24 Oct 2018 1:45PM · 8 Comments

PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang says Kelantan has no problems settling its debts in the 28 years PAS was in power. – The Malaysian Insight file pic, October 24, 2018.

THE Kelantan government is not begging for alms or handout from Putrajaya but merely seeking what was due to the PAS-led government, said the Islamist party’s president Abdul Hadi Awang. 

Hadi said the state government was only asking for its dues when it requested RM97 million from Putrajaya to pay its civil servants’ salaries and settle outstanding bills.

“This is the responsibility of the federal government. In the concept of federalism, we need to understand that Kelantan is part of it. 

“Kelantan pays taxes like road tax, for clothing and food. These taxes are collected by the Customs Department which the federal government then takes. 

“This is our responsibility. We are not asking for alms (sedekah),” Hadi told reporters at the Parliament lobby today. 

He was responding to Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng’s statement earlier that Kelantan asked for RM97 million in June from the Pakatan Harapan government. 

A total of RM24.5 million was meant to pay civil servants’ overdue wages and bills past their 14-day deadline. However, the government only approved RM22.5 million.

The PAS-led Kelantan government will still survive even if the federal government does not provide the funds, Hadi said.

“All state governments have debts, not just us. We have been settling our debts during our 28 years in power and we will deal with this now.

“I do not think Penang would be able to do it,” Hadi said, taking a swipe at Lim, who was Penang’s chief minister for two terms.

As for the delay in payments, Hadi reasoned there were delays from the old Barisan Nasional administration which have been resolved. 

“They (BN) purposely delayed (the payments)... so the Kelantan government does not pay the salaries. But, the issue has already been resolved.”

The Marang MP added that Putrajaya should also give back oil royalty to Kelantan and not just only look at Sabah and Sarawak.

“Kelantan also deserves to get royalty. Do not pay Sabah and Sarawak alone,” Hadi said. 

Lim today showed a copy of the advance request from the Kelantan treasury. The letter stated that if the funds were not approved, the state would not be able to pay all its staff.

Yesterday, Lim refused to retract his earlier remarks stating that Kelantan was short of funds to pay its civil servants. Lawmakers from Kelantan had accused Lim of picking on the PAS-ruled state. – October 24, 2018.

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Comments

  • Hello kawan kawan Kelantan. As the PAS state ruled government for the past upteen years, you still dont know how to manage your financials, you cant even pay your government staff salaries, and Kelantan until today is one of the most backward states of Malaysia.. What have you got to say for this?
    You are so politically minded yay you dont know how to survive yourselves u TIL you need other to help you. What type of government are you?! Better balik rumah tido lah!

    Posted 7 years ago by TTs Take · Reply

  • You are exactly doing that begging for money just because you dont know how to survive..
    Instead of being grateful to PH Government, you have been ungrateful by going against the PH government! Totally irresponsible and useless.

    Posted 7 years ago by TTs Take · Reply

  • Now nak pinjam 97million pula? Kalau itu bukan begging, apa tu?

    Posted 7 years ago by TTs Take · Reply

  • After 28 years you are still in debt? Nobody to blame but yourselves

    Posted 7 years ago by Malaysia New hope · Reply

  • Ur mentri besar got stuck inside his own house during the last big flood of Ktan. You cant even manage that prorperly, so I can accept LGEs argument that PAS is poor at managing finances.

    Posted 7 years ago by Rock Hensem · Reply

  • You old goat - you guys cant light a candle to how Penang was run.

    Posted 7 years ago by Watchdog Watchdog · Reply

  • Pas Pis Pus Taliban lebai never known to be smart. They only know figure 4 and 72. Hadi 90 jutAwang is slightly better to know another figure of 90,000,000.

    Posted 7 years ago by Chee yee ng · Reply

  • DAP-led Penang was able to pay its civil servants their salaries, but PAS-led Kelantan was not.
    Perhaps it is because the Penang government focuses on making the state work, while in the case of Kelantan, their minds are focused on hudud, on marrying 11 year old girls, and peeping at naked couples.
    Guess which one needs handouts?

    Posted 7 years ago by Arul Inthirarajah · Reply