Give Perlis 3-for-1 in federal matching funds, says MP

 

Arau MP Shahidan Kassim says the federal government should give RM3 in grants for every RM1 spent by the state. (Bernama pic)

KUALA LUMPUR: Putrajaya should consider increasing the federal matching funds for Perlis if it wants to help poor states to progress, the Dewan Rakyat was told today.

Shahidan Kassim (PN-Arau) said the ringgit-for-ringgit federal matching grants provided to the states were not of much help.

“How is Perlis going to progress? It can’t progress (with this equal matching grant). Under this ’50-50′ scheme, if we spend RM1 million, the government needs to give RM 1 million.

“By right, if Perlis spends RM1 million, the federal government should give RM3 million. Then you are helping poor states,” said Shahidan during the committee stage debate on the 2023 budget.

Last week, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim told the Dewan Rakyat that RM54 million was set aside as state allocation for Perlis, and RM570 million in development expenditure. - FMT