KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 18 — Putrajaya can help mitigate the socio-economic problems in Kelantan by sharing its revenue collection with the PAS-led state government, Gua Musang MP Tan Sri Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah said today.
The Kelantan prince suggested that his home state was backward in comparison to other states because it lacked financial resources, which could be improved by the federal government taking the initiative to share the wealth equally.
“Their source of income is also bleak that’s why I suggested so many times for the Federal Constitution to be amended to divide the revenue collection equally to them.
“To pay government servants also is difficult, so illegal logging is the only source of income they have,” Tengku Razaleigh told reporters outside the House.
He explained Kelantan requires more funds to be pumped into the state, or a higher percentage of revenue sharing to stay afloat.
“Last time there was no development. Now some states still don’t have the resources to develop, but whatever development that is done by the federal government needs to be borne by the state government in terms of maintenance and all that, but they don’t have the money,” he added.
The lawmaker known by his moniker Ku Li also said that the PAS-led Kelantan government should focus on eradicating problems like illegal logging instead of gunning to enhance the Shariah courts punitive powers.
He also said PAS in Kelantan should look to creating more job opportunities for the youth to prevent them relocating to other states.
“There are many issues the state government should push, especially PAS.
“The young especially can’t be tapping rubber trees and mining tin and they need education and that is why they go to places like Penang, KL and Johor Baru because their state can’t provide that,” Tengku Razaleigh said.
