Guan Eng mocks Kelantan for having no money
(FMT) – Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng, who caused a stir in the Dewan Rakyat earlier by saying the Kelantan government had no money to pay the salaries of its civil servants, has defended his remark, calling it a fact.
He said it had been mentioned before by Najib Razak, citing a news report earlier this year in which the former prime minister said if it were not for Putrajaya, Kelantan would not be able to pay its civil servants.
“It is true that the Kelantan government cannot afford to pay the salaries. That is a fact.
“This was true even back then. Recently, I approved an allocation to help the Kelantan government,” he told reporters at the Parliament lobby.
In the Dewan Rakyat proceedings earlier, Lim had mocked the state of Kelantan’s finances after a suggestion by PAS’ Kota Bahru MP Takiyuddin Hassan that the Kelantan, Terengganu and Pahang handle the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) project if it is cancelled following negotiations between Putrajaya and China.
Takiyuddin and other opposition MPs demanded that Lim retract his words, calling the remark an insult. Takiyuddin also said the remark was false and had misled the house.
“Even when the state government is strapped for finances and requests a loan from the federal government, that is normal. Which state government has not borrowed from the federal government?” he told reporters.
“The past Barisan Nasional government never said such insulting things to us. We are of the view that this remark by Lim is an insult to the Kelantan government as well as the people of Kelantan.
“We urge the finance minister, whether inside or outside the Dewan Rakyat, to retract his words and apologise.”
The PAS secretary-general said if Lim failed to do so, the MPs might table a motion for him to be referred to the Rights and Privileges Committee.
“Standing Order 36 (12) is quite clear on this. A member of the house can be referred to the committee over what he said. Everybody heard it,” he added.
He said the state received five stars for its financial management in 2015, among other signs of recognition.
