KUALA LUMPUR, March 15 — The 13 state governments have unpaid loans of nearly RM17 billion with Putrajaya as of December 31 last year, Parliament was told today.

The top borrower in the list is Pahang, with an outstanding debt of RM2.9 billion, followed by Sabah (RM2.6 billion) and Sarawak (RM2.5 billion).

Penang owed the least with RM69.32 million, followed by Johor with RM249.01 million.

The Federal Territories were not included in the list.

In a written reply to Seputeh MP Teresa Kok in the Dewan Rakyat here, the Finance Ministry revealed that it has yet to receive a total RM16,824,607,184.41 from all the states, excluding the Federal Territories.

“For your information, the federal government granted loans to the state governments to fund projects to develop basic facilities for the people’s benefit such as water supply projects, low-cost housing (PAKR), industries and many other projects.

“These projects are all a continuous effort by the government to increase living standards of the people,” the ministry said in the statement.

Kok had asked the ministry to state the amount in debt owned by the state governments to Putrajaya for the year ending December 31, 2015.