25 November 2011

Under Zambry, Perak’s debt hits record billion-ringgit high


(Reproduced from http://www.malaysia-chronicle.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=23452%3Aunder-zambry-perak%E2%80%99s-debt-hits-record-billion-ringgit-high&Itemid=2&fb_source=message )

Perak’s state debt has sky-rocketed some 535 percent from RM182 million in 2000 to RM975 million currently, with a RM72 million increase in the past 12 months.

Reacting to this, Taiping member of parliament Nga Kor Ming said the state’s debt for last year was greater than the budget for all state projects such as the micro scheme credit, housing aid, food aid, festival aid, Tabaruk scheme and family economic cluster scheme.

“All those programmes for the people only amount to RM19 million,” he was quoted as saying by DAP's Malay language website Roketkini, at the state’s Budget 2012 debate yesterday.

On the recently tabled RM50.14 million deficit budget, the Pantai Remis state assemblyman questioned the allocation of RM915 million for expenditure.

“The amount is just too huge for Perak," he said, adding that the Economic Planning Unit of the Prime Minister’s Department reported that Perak has the highest number of families in the poverty brackets.

Nga said some 192,000 families in the state earned less than RM2,300 a month, representing 12.2 percent of all families in the country under the poverty group.

“This clearly proves that after 54 years under BN, not only has the coalition failed to bring up the state to a respectable income earning status, many of our people still live in poverty, especially the Malays,” he added.

Nga described the state budget as wasteful and aimed to enrich the cronies while using debts to fish for votes by giving out goodies.

"This is just an election budget. But the people see through all this. It may just help PR to win,” he quipped.

-Harakahdaily

**************
Perak is one of the largest states in Malaysia with vast tracts of land and natural resources, yet the statistics for poverty in the state are appalling.

Where are the logistics (port related) and manufacturing sectors to drive growth and generate jobs? One can see those "jaga kereta" boys aplenty in the town area, a sight long since missing from PJ and KL.

Even with Ipoh's well known food, agri produce and cave systems, the State Govt cannot be said to be doing a stellar job in promoting tourism. It is very much left to the private sector. Development and redevelopment in the town areas are haphazard and look largely unplanned. (see comments and views in the Ipoh Echo http://ipohecho.com.my/v2/)

The Star newspaper reported on 22 Nov 2011 that "Perak Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir tabled a RM50.14mil deficit budget for next year." How does a leader table a budget with such a deficit with a smile??

**************

No comments:

Post a Comment