YOURSAY | ‘If the state cannot pay its civil servants, how do we expect it to raise funds for ECRL?’
Guan Eng reveals letter of Kelantan seeking financial aid
Anonymous_c4346019: Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng was absolutely right with his statement. Look at the context of his answer in Parliament.
Kota Bharu MP Takiyuddin Hassan asked the possibility of Kelantan, Terengganu and Pahang state governments taking over the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) project since the federal government is not keen to continue this project.
How can a state government that needs federal financial support to pay staff salaries afford to undertake a massive ECRL project worth RM81 billion? I would advise PAS to be realistic and stop this drama.
Sunshine: Lim, continue to speak truth rationally and fearlessly to those who try to belittle you and hinder you from carrying out your tasks in a responsible and dignified manner.
If a particular state’s legislature is appearing to fail in its fundamental responsibility to administer the state prudently and productively, warnings must be issued before it becomes a failed state.
Any federal government would be hard pressed in the long term if a state continues to be freeloading for an unreasonable duration without any mechanism for enabling an effective and efficient fiscal system and administration.
Hopeful123: If a state government is unable even to pay its own civil servants, then it is only fair that they wind up. Let an efficient government take up the role and revitalise a "dead" state like Kelantan.
PAS must learn to be realistic and develop the state instead of always playing the religious card.
SelangorKu: This is uncalled-for drama on the part of the minister of finance. When Penang was flooded, he cried for help asking then PM Najib Abdul Razak for help. Of course, Najib made a drama about it.
So is this little children playing tit for tat? Grow up Lim, you are a statesman, not a small-time Penang chief minister anymore.
If you want to lecture PAS on Kelantan, can we lecture you on hillslope development in Penang?
Quigonbond: I think PAS' contention is that the finance minister could have been politer and more circumspect (because he embarrassed them) instead of trying to score political points.
One example is to say it is normal for states to ask federal government for help so why the fuss? But clearly, in this case, the new finance minister has a lower tolerance for inefficiency seeing that help is required is to pay salaries, of all things.
A question that needs to be asked is, have other states ever asked for such help before? If not, then PAS has indeed tried to lie by generalising.
Clearly, they have failed to anticipate that finance minister would respond to the ECRL question with this exposé. That makes them bad politicians as well.
Folks in Kelantan should pick up on this and ask if the state government will have money for salaries a month from now. On whether it is appropriate for the finance minister to reveal the contents of the letter, there is no right and wrong, only how "nice" Lim wants to be.
In this case, he could be right that PAS is trying to make a political hay out of this, because compared to the prime minister, Lim is a softer target, and therefore, they deserve to be exposed.
Lodestar: I think Lim should be more diplomatic as a minister. He is not in opposition anymore so every word he says carries weight.
It wasn't necessary for him to fire the first salvo by saying that Kelantan could not even pay salaries for its civil servants.
And now he has back it up with further revelations that embarrass the state. It's not necessary to be so combative.
Lakunan Tergendala: PAS in Kelantan and Terengganu can be best be described as living in prison for years with occasional visits by Umno to update them on what was going on outside.
Pakatan Harapan is trying to release them from the prison, but to them the outside world is too dangerous and foreign. Moreover, they had been fed regularly so why step out of the comfort zone?
PAS, many of you have good hearts compared with the other party. However, it's time for you to accept the reality that the world is full of challenges.
Anonymous #69337042: The Kelantan government was already so poor and backward yet its menteri besar wanted to buy Mercedes-Benzes for state public officials.
Roger 5201: Perhaps we should let Kelantan fail because PAS Baru can now afford to buy expensive luxury marques but cannot pay salaries of civil servants.
We hope the federal government is charging interest on these loans to underscore to PAS leader Abdul Hadi Awang there is no such thing as a free lunch.
MahuSeeLui: Reduce the number of public servants, particularly the unproductive religious extremist types, if you cannot raise enough money to pay their wages.
Going begging to the federal government is shameful and the refusal to admit poor financial management shames you even more. A case of entitlement, as usual?
Anon1: Instead of wasting public monies, sniffing into the private affairs of individuals, they should find ways to raise revenue and improve the economy of Kelantan.
Being religious and devout doesn't pay salaries.
Tok Wah: The truth hurts and there is nothing confidential about the financial state of affairs in Kelantan.
Should we sweep it under the carpet and pretend all is well? If the state cannot pay its civil servants, how do we expect them to raise funds for the ECRL project?
Fairnsquare: The only reason PAS leaders are concerned about ECRL is because they must have committed on properties along the ECRL alignment that they expected to appreciate.
Now that it’s cancelled, the route will change and they are stuck with worthless property. There seems to be zero concern for the people or the state of Kelantan.
The above is a selection of comments posted by Malaysiakini subscribers . Only paying subscribers can post comments. Over the past one year, Malaysiakinians have posted over 100,000 comments. Join the Malaysiakini community and help set the news agenda. Subscribe now.
These comments are compiled to reflect the views of Malaysiakini subscribers on matters of public interest. Malaysiakini does not intend to represent these views as fact.
