ISKANDAR PUTERI: A war of words erupted between a DAP assemblyman and Barisan Nasional backbenchers over an additional RM30 million allocation for development projects that was tabled at the Johor state assembly.
Tan Hong Pin (DAP-Mengkibol) raised the ire of BN backbenchers and Deputy State Assembly Speaker Datuk Baderi Dasuki when he repeatedly asked about the details of an allocation mentioned in the Supplementary Supply Enactment 2017, which was up for the first and second readings today.
Tan said any supplementary allocation to the state budget this year should have been foreseen by the state government and that it was done in haste as the year was about to end.
“If we keep tabling supplementary expenditure, it will affect the state’s administrative revenue. This reflects weakness in the administration of the state’s finances.
“The state government’s need to approve additional allocations for development must be tabled so that assemblymen can scrutinise them and not just play the role of a rubber stamp to approve them,” Tan told the state assembly.
At this juncture, Baderi told Tan that he understood his concerns and asked the assemblyman to sit down. Tan did not adhere to Baderi’s instruction and demanded an explanation on the point he raised. This riled up several BN backbenchers, including Ali Mazat Salleh (BN-Bukit Permai), Datuk Adam Sumiru (BN-Tanjung Puteri) and Ayub Jamil (BN-Rengit).
Ali said while any assemblyman could question policies tabled by the state government at the state assembly, it was not right for Tan to repeatedly ask about the details of something that were explained when the Supplementary Supply Enactment 2017 was tabled earlier in today’s state assembly proceeding.
This prompted Tan Chen Choon (DAP-Jementah) to interject and ask Baderi to allow for his colleague to ask questions on the matter.
Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin, who insisted on explaining the matter again, said the RM30 million in the Supplementary Supply Enactment 2017 was being used for road upgrading work and development projects that were urgently needed.
The RM30 million was allocated for a special RM20 million project to upgrade village roads and Felda roads, RM2.8 million for the land acquisition for a resettlement scheme at the Mengkibol estate near Kluang and RM2.5 million for upgrading work at Jalan Johor Baru-Ayer Hitam, among other things.
“I’m giving you the details of the allocation again as maybe you were sleeping when I tabled it the first time.
“The RM30 million allocation could not be delayed to next year due to the urgent need to conduct these projects for the people’s social and economic wellbeing.
“We are transparent in this. Due to my visits to the areas, we (the state government) are tabling it because we have the means to do it,” said Khaled.