AFTER nearly four years of PAS rule, the Chinese community of Terengganu said they have been neglected by the Islamist government.

Having lived through two of those years under Covid-19 restrictions, a resort owner said he had tried but failed many times to get financial aid from the state government to save his pandemic-stricken business.

The businessman, who wished to be known as Han, owns a hotel on Pulau Redang. He said it was disappointing to be rejected for  any explanation given.

The 70-year-old businessman has had raise money, including by selling a plot of land and his car, to keep his business afloat.

“It’s things like this that make the Chinese community feel marginalised by the PAS-led state government.

“Indeed, since PAS ruled Terengganu, the party has not done much for other communities.

“We are not included in any allocation or budget, and many policies also do not benefit the Chinese in the state,” he told The Malaysian Insight.

It’s not the first time PAS has ruled Terengganu, however. The party held the state from 1999 to 2004, during which it launched controversial policies such as making non-Muslims pay an additional tax known as “kharraj”.

Barisan Nasional won back the state in the 2004 general election and held it until 2018, when PAS wrested it back.

Han said the arrival of the Chinese New Year showed how little attention the state government paid to minority groups. Where in other states, festive decorations are put up in town by the local council, there was nothing in Kuala Terengganu. This was not the case before, Han said.

“They give reasons such as Covid-19 for the lack of effort, what more for any sort of programme for the local Chinese? There is none at all.”

Han, however, said the PAS state government’s treatment did not affect the good ties Malays and Chinese had with each other, as both communities have lived and worked together all the while even through the changing of state governments.

His family settled in Kampung Cina in Kuala Terengganu six generations ago.

“Our parents wear sarong, our children speak Terengganu Malay flawlessly, wear batik and eat budu,”  he said, referring to a local delicacy.

“We’re proud that Terengganu Chinese are different from Chinese in other states,” he added.

Chinese number nearly 30,000 in Terengganu and make up just over 2 % of the east coast state’s population.

No development

A real estate agent, who wished to be identified as Lee, said PAS had performed poorly and merely continued the BN administration’s policies without introducing anything new or innovative.

“I think even Malays here feel the same way about PAS. Four years in power but there is nothing new or any landmark project from  this government,” said the 65-year-old.

He said this has caused locals to gossip about the state’s oil royalty money and where it went, as they saw no significant development on the ground.

“We don’t know what exactly the government is doing with the oil royalty money. At least during BN’s era, we saw things being done,” he said.

When PAS governed Terengganu from 1999 to 2004, the state’s oil royalties were returned in the form of “wang ehsan” or special payment by the then Barisan Nasional federal government.

After 2018 when PAS re-captured the state, oil royalties were still paid to the state, with RM1.053 billion for 2018, and RM1.27 billion for January to September 2019.

https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2019/04/475799/mb-terengganu-receives-rm1053bil-oil-royalty-payment-last-year

https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2019/10/16/terengganu-received-rm1.27b-in-oil-royalty-from-jan-sept-2019-says-mb/1800871

Lee said there were many empty buildings in the state, and said the PAS government should allow anyone of any race to rent them.

“Instead of leaving them empty, they should let others, regardless of race, rent those lots. It’s a waste to leave it empty.”

The lack of consumer power shows that there are hardly any activities to boost the local economy and incomes, said MCA Terengganu committee member Toh Chin Yaw said.

The former party state chief also said the state did not give help to Chinese people affected by Covid-19.

“Where before, there was some aid and also allocations for low-cost housing,” said Toh whose party MCA is a component of BN.

“There isn’t even anything for the community to mark the recent Chinese New Year celebrations,” he added.

Toh also said that in four years of PAS rule, Menteri Besar Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar has never once met or held an event with the Chinese community. – February 11, 2022.