ISKANDAR PUTERI, Dec 9 — Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Osman Sapian has shot down a suggestion calling for a review of the allowances of state executive councillors (excos) and assemblymen.

He said the suggestion had no merit because there were many things the new state government, which has only been in power for about seven months, has to do.

"We must first prove were are truly serving the people as they have placed their trust in us. In fact, as an austerity measure, excos had their allowance cut by 10 per cent,” he said when winding up debate on the state’s budget for next year in the state assembly today.

Meanwhile, state Works, Infrastructure and Transport Committee chairman Mazlan Bujang told the assembly that the federal government had cancelled the project to upgrade the Senai-Desaru Highway from two lanes to four lanes after a meeting between the Finance Ministry, Works Ministry and Economic Planning Unit on July 17.

The meeting was held to identify projects that could be shelved as cost saving measures following Pakatan Harapan winning the 14th general election. — Bernama