IPOH: All Perak assemblymen, whether on the government bench or the opposition, will receive an equal annual allocation of RM200,000 each from next year, after a decree by the state’s Ruler.
Presenting the state budget in the state assembly today, Menteri Besar Saarani Mohamad said it would involve a total allocation of RM11.8 million per year.
He said this was a decree from the Sultan of Perak, Sultan Nazrin Shah, who expressed a wish for the state government to reduce political tensions for the sake of the people during Saarani’s swearing-in ceremony last week.
Saarani said the Ruler’s words would serve as a guide for him and the rest of the state administration to “ensure that the current government always upholds the principles of justice, builds harmony and strives to meet the economic and social needs of the people”.
He also said the government had agreed that all assemblymen should be invited to attend meetings involving the district action committee, district focus group committee and district disaster management committee.
“With this, it is hoped that all assemblymen can effectively fulfil their duties and responsibilities for voters in their respective constituencies,” he said.
Saarani also presented a budget deficit of RM154 million, the highest in state budget history, with an estimated development revenue of RM1.06 billion in comparison to an expenditure of RM1.22 billion.
He added that the state government would continue all development efforts planned previously, focusing especially on economic growth and protecting the welfare of the people.