Penang asks for annual RM1b allocation from Putrajaya
GEORGE TOWN, Oct 19 — The Penang state government is asking for at least RM1 billion total allocation to be channelled to the state each year based on the state’s high contribution to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP).
Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow (DAP — Padang Kota) told the legislative assembly that the state contributed RM94.7 billion or 6.7 per cent to the nation’s GDP in 2019.
“This has placed Penang as the fourth highest contributor to the country’s GDP so the federal government should reconsider its allocation to Penang to commensurate with its contributions to the national coffers,” he said in his winding-up speech today.
He said Penang deserved to get an annual allocation of RM1 billion from the federal government as acknowledgement and appreciation of its excellent performance.
“This allocation will definitely help the state government to reduce its deficit budget,” he said.
Chow earlier said the state had received a total allocation of RM241.56 million from the federal government as of September 2020.
He expressed his gratitude to the federal government for allocating RM15.197 million to the state government to manage the Covid-19 pandemic.
On accusations that the state did not channel allocations to the state Opposition, Chow said the state had allocated special allocations of RM30,000 to all state assemblymen including the seven Opposition assemblymen under the state’s Special Aid Package to fight Covid-19.
“A total RM1.2 million was prepared and distributed evenly to all 40 assemblymen regardless of their political affiliations,” he said.
As for the four assemblymen who had switched allegiance to Perikatan Nasional (PN), he said the state had allocated development funds totalling RM400,000 for each exco and RM300,000 for each assemblyman.
“According to the records, Seberang Jaya has used up 55 per cent of the allocation, Sungai Acheh 95 per cent, Bertam 94 per cent and Teluk Bahang only 38 per cent as at middle of this year,” he said.
He said the allocation for the assemblymen were almost fully utilised but to ensure the welfare of their constituents was not affected, the state has approved an additional RM150,000 to the “Adun angkat” to manage.
“Other than this, the state approved RM30,000 allocation for the four for the second half of 2020 so I want to stress that the state government has continued to allocate funds to the opposition despite our political differences,” he said.
He then added that the Opposition assemblymen had received allocation from the PN federal government but did not reveal the sum.
“Let me state that they are receiving slightly more allocation from the federal government than the allocation that Pakatan Harapan assemblymen received from the state,” he said.
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