KUALA LUMPUR — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has denied claims made by PAS assistant secretary-general Mohd Syahir Che Sulaiman that the federal government has been treating Kelantan as a “stepchild” as well as sidelining the East Coast state to remain poor and undeveloped.
Anwar said Syahir’s remarks were not made based on facts because the unity government has actually channeled more allocation to Kelantan compared to the previous governments when PAS and Bersatu were part of the ruling parties.
“How are we sidelining them? I have said this; allocation for Kelantan was the highest (in Peninsula) and we have helped with flood mitigation, we gave water (supply).
“(We) should ask them, how is the (state) management in Kelantan? Young leaders are supposed to be braver in fixing internal problems and providing recommendations, (but) I have not received any recommendation (proposal) from Kelantan leaders (on) floods, clean water supply, and state development.
“In fact, the allocation given by the unity government now is more than the amount given when PAS and Bersatu were government,” he said when met by reporters at the Hilton KL Hotel here after he attended the 36th Asia-Pacific Roundtable, today.
Anwar added when Bersatu and PAS were part of the governing coalition, they had been busy with other matters, neglecting Kelantan, which was proven by the lower allocation given to the state compared to funds provided by the unity government.
Syahir who is also Bachok MP made the remarks during a televised debate with PKR deputy president Rafizi Ramli, where the fomer claimed that Kelantan was poor because of federalism, saying that other states like Melaka would not understand the hardship that Kelantan has gone through for being side-lined for years.
“You (Rafizi) don’t feel it. Kelantan has been denied (of many privileges). Our royalty has been denied.
“It was only two years that Kelantan was under (then Prime Ministers) Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob that we had proposals started coming – to restructure the water (supply system), build dams, and construct roads.
“It is amazing that Kelantan can survive,” Syahir said. — August 10, 2023.