KUALA SELANGOR: Perikatan Nasional (PN) chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has dismissed doubts surrounding the coalition's intentions to invest over RM2 billion in initiatives outlined in its Selangor manifesto.
"Someone asked if it was true that I'm going to spend RM2 billion (to implement initiatives in the manifesto).
"During the pandemic, I spent RM530 billion but no one questioned it," FMT quoted him as saying at a ceramah in Jeram last night.
Muhyiddin was referring to the time when he served as the prime minister between March 2020 and August 2021, which also saw the government declaring a six-month emergency to manage the Covid-19 pandemic.
He remarked that the sole person failing to understand the RM530 billion expenditure was Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, his counterpart from Pakatan Harapan (PH).
He further noted the coalition's ability to utilise the state's financial resources to fulfil their campaign promises.
"What is the point of keeping so much money in the reserves when times are tough. That is why we will use a part of the state's reserves to fulfil PN's manifesto."
Should PN assume leadership in Selangor, a re-evaluation of the Selangor Maritime Gateway (SMG) initiative would be undertaken, he said.
The RM700 million river-widening project has regained attention due to allegations made by PN's election director Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor.
These allegations pertain to the involvement of the incumbent Selangor menteri besar, Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari, and Berjaya Corporation Bhd founder and advisor Tan Sri Vincent Tan in the project.
Sanusi alleged that Tan had plans to establish a RM10 billion venture by procuring 600 acres of land within Selangor.
He also contended that the undertaking, which engaged a firm owned by Menteri Besar Selangor (Incorporated), would result in Selangor incurring an approximate loss of RM180 million.
Subsequently, Berjaya Land and Tan have both insisted on an apology from Sanusi and sought RM200 million in reparations for the harm caused by his accusations regarding the SMG situation.
Recently, Amirudin demanded a public expression of regret along with RM10 million in reparations from Sanusi for making remarks that were seen as damaging to his reputation.