ALOR SETAR: Former Kedah menteri besar Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid said he was prepared to be investigated by the authorities including the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) over alleged misappropriation when he was holding the post.
While debating on the motion of thanks for the address of the Kedah Council of Regency chairman at the state assembly sitting yesterday, he urged the current state government not to blame others for their failures, including in proving the allegations.
Mahdzir, who is also Pedu assemblyman and opposition leader in the state assembly, said the state government had now come up with a list of failed projects of the previous state government, but these failures were due to procedural problems and not misappropriation of funds.
“They (current state government) can bring the cases when I was menteri besar to MACC and the other relevant authorities. What happens now is that they are playing the blame game in defending themselves,” he said.
Earlier, state executive councillor Datuk Amiruddin Hamzah, in reply to a question from Abdullah Jusoh (PAS-Pantai Merdeka), had listed the problematic projects when Kedah was under Barisan Nasional (BN)rule.
Mahdzir, in his debate, also mentioned the 2013 state budget which, among others, targets land premium collection of RM150 million next year.
“This is too high….it has been observed that since 2007, the average collection is around RM40 per annum. So, the state government should explain how the targeted collection of RM150 million can be achieved as it will have an impact on the state budget,” he said.
Mahdzir also expressed worry over the state government’s plan to develop a fruit plantation in Genting Bunga near Pedu Lake, a water catchment area.
“The issue here is logging. About 400 hectares of the 500ha forest reserve have all been logged at once. Even if the project is to be carried out, the logging should have been done gradually,” he said.
Mahdzir also urged the state government to review its planned investments in projects as a number had already failed to yield results and criticised in the Auditor-General’s Report.
He cited the logging project by Kedah Corporation Berhad (KCB) in Papua New Guinea and proposed buying of beef from Australia.
He also highlighted the issue of the party (PAS) helming the current state government having problems with Kedah civil servants to the extent of holding a demonstration recently demanding the resignation of the State Secretary.
“The Kedah civil service has been in existence for over 100 years. They are the same group, whether under BN or Pakatan Rakyat rule. So, don’t create problems (with the civil servants) as it will only create negative public perception,” he said.
Meanwhile, Datuk Nawawi Ahmad (BN-Kuah) said the projected revenue of RM640 million against RM1.1 billion in expenditure showed a deficit of 72 per cent.
“This deficit is worse than Greece’s. It is as though the state government has declared that Kedah will go bankrupt next year. Even the Kedah Chinese Chamber of Commerce has said that Kedah’s economy is in reverse gear,” he said. — Bernama