The Terengganu government is expected to table an RM220 million supplementary supply bill at tomorrow’s state assembly, which will push its 2010 budget to a record high of RM2.1 billion, said to be the peninsula’s highest.
The state had initially allocated RM1.88 billion for the 2010 budget, which was just a shade higher than its RM1.8 billion budget for 2009.
During the sitting tomorrow and day after, the House is expected to debate proposals for additional allocation of RM157 million for development and RM63.2 million for miscellaneous public services, which total RM220.3 million.
Seberang Takir assemblyman Ahmad Razif Rahman will table the first motion (for RM157 million) while Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Said is scheduled to debate the Supplementary Supply Enactment (for miscellaneous services) of RM63.2 million.
The additional allocation of RM220.3 million will bloat Terengganu’s budget to a record RM2.1 billion, the highest so far among the states in the Malay peninsula.
This latest move by the state’s Barisan Nasional (BN) government has however earned the wrath of opposition lawmakers, who are expected to use the expanded budget as campaign fodder during the coming 13th general election.
“The issue is not whether we (from Pakatan Rakyat) agree or disagree (with the additional budget) but where is the source of the additional funds and how will it be spent… we do not have income from oil, none from royalty money, maybe from compassionate payments.
“This is a very high budget for a state like Terengganu. I do not have the details but although the budget allocation has risen, the people are still poor and do not enjoy the benefits from any project,” Terengganu PAS deputy commissioner Mohd Abdul Wahid Endut told The Malaysian Insider.
The Wakaf Mempelam assemblyman referred to several incidences of failure in public projects, including the recent stadium collapse.
The RM292 million Stadium Mizan Zainal Abidin collapsed a year after it was completed for the 12th Sukma games in June 2008.
Ladang assemblyman Datuk Tengku Hassan Tengku Omar, a former government servant, criticised the proposal for the additional allocations, pointing out that it would be the first time in Terengganu’s history to see such a huge budget sum.
“The additional allocations for the budget means that the state’s expenditure has also risen… this is how the state government manages taxpayer’s money.
“It also shows that the state government spends without planning, with hopes that it would get allocations from the Federal government,” said the PAS leader.
He added that the opposition would definitely raise questions over the issue.
During last year’s budget debate, PAS’ Batuk Burok assemblyman Dr Syed Azman Syed Ahmad Nawawi had said the 2010 Budget of RM1.88 billion was too high and did not match the living standards of Terengganu residents.
He had said that the budget was “simply shocking” and that there was a high likelihood it would become the highest budget in the country, surpassing Selangor, Johor and several other states.
“This allocation of almost RM1.9 billion is not suitable with the living standards of the people in this state for it does not yet include additional allocations. It needs to be further explained.
“It is also not in line with the theme ‘Merakyatkan Pentadbiran dan Pembangunan’ (people-friendly administration and development) for like last year, it has failed to solve the people’s problems,” he had said.
