KUALA TERENGGANU: The Terengganu state government has enough funds to safeguard the well-being of the state, said Mentri Besar Dr Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar (pic).
He however added that the state’s finances needed to be re-evaluated and new allocations will be channelled towards desperate causes that could greatly affect the people.
“Given the state’s financial standing, we will need to refocus and we will be certain to plan our 2019 budget to ensure the people benefit from the allocations given to their representatives,” he said on Monday (June 18) at a Hari Raya Aidilfitri open house hosted by Ladang state assemblyman Datuk Tengku Hassan Tengku Omar.
Dr Ahmad Samsuri was responding to news that the state would need to be more prudent after past Barisan Nasional representatives had exhausted their annual RM4mil allocation just four months into 2018.
It is believed that most of the funds were used for GE14.
He also said PAS representatives will be prioritized, but added that Barisan assemblymen would not be sidelined.
“The allocation will be given based on the type of expenses as well as on a needs basis,” he said.
However, he did not state how much the assemblymen would receive.
On Saturday, he claimed that Barisan representatives had used up their allocations at an event to celebrate Terengganu natives returning for Aidilfitri.
He also claimed that PAS representatives did not receive similar allocations in the last term.
In the recent election PAS retook Terengganu after winning 22 out of the 32 state seats contested.
It also took six out of the state’s eight parliamentary seats.- thestar
