KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 3 — Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim is facing growing pressure to review the state’s plan to raise its lawmakers’ pay with his allies in Pakatan Rakyat (PR) now united in calling for a review of the proposal.

After chairing the bloc’s presidential council meeting today, Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the proposal had drawn widespread flak and forced the federal opposition pact to be on the defensive.

“The attacks by Barisan Nasional (BN) on the issue is ridiculous,” Anwar told reporters in Parliament here, pointing out that the BN-led Sarawak government had made the same move of giving its lawmakers a hefty increment to their salaries.

But the PKR adviser said PR was more concerned with the criticism it received from voters, which is why the bloc had decided that a review by the Selangor government would be apt.

“But we are sensitive to the criticism of the people…the amount should be reduced. We’ll leave it to the MB and the state government to decide. But we feel it should be reviewed before it takes off next year, “ he said after chairing the Pakatan Rakyat presidential council meeting today.

On November 27, Khalid announced salary increases for himself, the state speaker and deputy speaker, state executive councillors, as well as assemblymen, by up to 400 per cent to mark Selangor’s healthy finances.

The increase is set to take effect from January 1 next year.

Under the new salary structure, state assemblymen’s salaries will be climb 87 per cent from RM6,000 to RM11,250 a month, the Speaker from RM6,109.29 to RM22,500 (268 per cent), and the Deputy Speaker from RM3,327.50 to RM15,750 (373 per cent).

The salary of exco members will go up 231 per cent from RM6,109.29 to RM20,250 while the mentri besar will have a pay rise of 106.4 per cent from RM14,175 to RM29,250.

The embattled Khalid has said the decision had already been passed unanimously in the Selangor legislative assembly, and refused to defer the increment.

The move sparked uproar from both sides of the political divide with all noting that while a raise is justified, the rate was deemed excessive.

The move also comes at a time when PR is campaigning against the ruling coalition’s alleged wastage in public spending. Observers believe Selangor’s bold move could undo PR’s efforts.

“We agree the need to have a salary hike but the problem is the quantum. We have to take into views the concern of the people,” DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang told reporters in Parliament today.

The Gelang Patah MP then said he had met with Khalid and told him for the need to study the proposal first.

PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang, who was flanking Lim at the news conference, concurred.

“We have to heed the wishes of the people,” the Marang MP said.