ALOR SETAR – Kedah today pledged an inclusive state budget for next year where 13 opposition assemblymen will each receive RM50,000 to help address the needs of their constituents.
Menteri Besar Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor said the allocation will ease the burden of elected representatives who need to help their constituents through the double crises of Covid-19 pandemic and the economic downturn.
He also pledged that each assemblyman’s service centre will be allocated RM8,000 each to aid administration, while state executive councillors will receive RM1 million each to meet the needs of their constituents.
Assemblymen under the ruling state Perikatan Nasional government will receive RM150,000 each.
The opposition is currently led by former menteri besar Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir.
Earlier, Sanusi tabled a state budget of RM1 billion for next year where RM201 million was estimated to be channelled for development expenditure while RM799 million was set aside for administration.
He said that the budget is an increase of 5% or RM799 million more compared to this year’s allotment.
The deficit margin has also increased by 8.2% to RM79 million.
The main impetus of the state’s financial policy for next year is to stimulate the economy so it can result in higher income for the people while also improving the state’s delivery system.
The state has targeted a revenue collection of RM720 million for next year, an increase of 2.5% or RM18 million compared to this year.
Among the notable highlights of the budget were that Kedah will give RM200 to each state health services department personnel, who are at the forefront of fighting Covid-19.
The state has a cumulative 2,206 Covid-19 cases with nine deaths as of yesterday.
Kedah will also provide RM21.8 million to purchase equipment for the state public hospitals and to provide food for frontliners.
It will also introduce a scheme whereby every 100 poor households in each of the 36 state constituencies will be allocated RM50 worth of rice monthly to ease their burden.
Sanusi said Kedah has set aside a RM500,000 grant for women looking to start their own business. – The Vibes, November 15, 2020
