ALOR SETAR, June 5 – The Kedah government would obtain financial assistance from the federal government to carry out various development projects for the people in the state, said Menteri Besar Datuk Mukhriz Tun Dr Mahathir.
He said the funds would be acquired for the initial stage only before the state could become self-reliant.
Mukhriz said the state government did not have many sources of income and that he would ensure that the money spent would derive economic returns for the state.
“The Kedah government will be very prudent in managing the state’s finances. We don’t have huge income resources but we have big ambitions to develop this state.
“Every expenditure, every ringgit spent must generate revenue. It will not be like ‘mencurah air ke daun keladi’ (pouring water onto a yam leaf – a fruitless act). It should be highly beneficial for the people and contribute to income-generation for the state.”
Mukhriz said this after the appointment ceremony for the new Kedah state secretary and financial officer at Istana Anak Bukit, here, today.
He cited the building of the RM$330 million Kolej Universiti Insaniah (Kuin) main campus in Kuala Ketil which did not generate any income for the state government, which instead had to pay the debt of RM46 million a year.
Mukhriz said various projects like infrastructural ones which could directly contribute to the state’s economy, would be implemented.
However, he declined to elaborate on the projects planned by the state government as these were in the discussion process and would have to be carefully studied first.
On the leptospirosis case where a man died from the viral disease recently after swimming at the Lata Bayu Waterfalls in Baling, Mukhriz said he had met the forestry officer concerned and found the source to be littering by visitors to the waterfalls.
“They left their rubbish there which invited rats, whose urine with the virus had contaminated the water there,” said Mukhriz, who advised visitors to the recreational spot to help keep it clean.
– BERNAMA
