10 MP allocations: Penang CM in the dark

Lim Guan Eng cries foul over the allocations, and reminds Putrajaya that Penang is still part of Malaysia.

PUTRAJAYA: Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng has claimed that Pakatan Rakyat-held states are unaware of their allocations under the 10th Malaysian Plan (10MP).

The DAP secretary-general told reporters here that he only learned of the allocations after attending this morning’s National Finance Council meeting with Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak along with other chief ministers and menteris besar.

“I was surprised when some Barisan Nasional leaders complained of insufficient allocations. For me, I don’t even know how much Penang got. Other BN states seem to know it already,” he said.

Lim said he had to raise the matter despite the issue not being on the meeting’s agenda and accused Putrajaya of double standard.

“Why do the other BN states know while we don’t?

“They said the allocations are insufficient so I (asked) how come all of you know (about the allocations)? I cannot even say if it (the allocation) is sufficient because I don’t even know,” he said.

Lim claimed that BN-held state leaders already knew about their allocations six months ago. His queries on the issue, made some six months ago, met with a muted response, added the Penang CM.

“The others, I think, knew of their 10MP projects and allocations about six months ago or earlier this year but we didn’t know so I reminded them today that Penang is a part of Malaysia,” he said.

Penang’s fiscal management exemplary

He then cited Penang’s success in fiscal management as examplary while reminding Putrajaya that the state was not in debt and was more than capable in servicing its deficits.

Despite unveiling the 10MP last June, Lim claimed that the federal government had yet to reveal any of the allocations or projects intended for the northern state.

“To date, we are uncertain whether the federal government has decided on the allocations for the respective states under the 10MP.

“It is only fair for Penang to receive its fair share in view of the annual sum of nearly RM4 billion in contributions to the federal government,” Lim had complained last February.

This is despite Penang being the most efficient in utilisation of funds compared to other states in expenditure on development projects implemented by the federal government, he added.

The admission was made by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Nor Mohamed Yakcop himself, the minister in charge of the Economic Planning Unit.

The minister had said that almost all allocations from the RM7.2 billion given to Penang under the 9MP had been utilised.

“Again, the Penang state government hopes that Nor Mohamed can reveal the details of the projects under the 9MP which show the progress and effective implementation by the federal government in Penang,” Lim said.