By Hafiz Jasri
Gold’s royalty is the main income of the Kelantan state under the governance of the Parti Islam Semalaysia (PAS) government led by Tuan Guru Haji Hadi Awang. According to the Audit reports, the number of the royalty are declining from year 2016 to yean 2017 with number of 22.11 million to 7.66 million. A huge declined consist of a decreased of 14.45 million that approximately 65.4% from its previous number recorded. Since the state was govern by the opposition party, This has gotten to be the issue in the eye of the Malaysia’s government to ram the state government. The huge declined was due to the huge scale collection of the royalty payment arrears has been done since for year 2014 to 2016 that was paid on 2016. Therefore, the number for the year 2016 is over the top and including a huge number before the declined occur which is the normal amount of number being in state account.
According to Ustaz Akmal Kamarudin, ADUN for Selama, Perak which is under the governance of PAS stated that the Malaysia Government is only make Kelantan look bad in the eyes of the society so that the citizens of Malaysia knew how bad it is to be governed by the oppositions which they claimed does not have the credibility of a leadership. He also stated that based on the statement of Kelantan president; Dato’ Ahmad Yakob stated that Kelantan Gold’s royalty will be increased in five years term due to the opening of the second golds mining plant. Kelantan have a diverse income and a lot of source of minerals such as gold and oil plantations. Therfore, it did not supposed to be an issue since there is more sources to be depended on. For instance, the oil’s royalty of the Kelantan including a sum number of 12 billion that is supposed to be paid but until today, it has not been paid yet and when PAS demand the payment, it will be delayed and paid later. Moreover, the loyal voters for the government will mock the state government that the “lebai” is too demanding even though it is their right.
Akmal statement was supported by a report made by Perbadanan Kemajuan Iktisad Negeri Kelantan (PKINK) which the gold sector of the state is flourishing. The gold plant was conducted by locals mining group (CMNM Mining Group) that has one more gold plant in that state. PKINK joined venture with CMNM has increased the income of the state since its early coalition. In 2017, the state government has received a sum number of 7.5 million compared to 6.6 million in 2015. The gold mining sector is the highest income sector for the state between year 2015 to year 2017 and are the highest among another state in Malaysia. Kelantan will received another increment of 10% in 2018 and the royalties received will be used for the dvelopment of the state
Meanwhile for Hasri Hashim, 38, a civil servant. Kelantan is under the worst government. Since it depends on the royalties from the federal government. The development of the state does not show any improvement and each year, there will be many disaster such as flooding that does not represented the state statement which they had developed the countries. The people are being called as the poorest since there is no big city in the state that can be presented as a modern civilization of human kind. He stated that as a Selangorian, He was blessed by the ruling party which is under Tun Mahathir governance. He added that he was never paid the water bil since Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) rules the state. He proud that Selangor became the pioneer to not charging its people for water bills under RM 20 ringgit.
For Rosnah Aris, 48, a high school teacher, Selangor cannot be compared to the Kelantan since both of the state has a different income sector and are under different ruling party. Kelantan are depending on its minerals sources while Selangor is mainly depended on their private business sector that support the state financial. Since Selangor is under the federal state now, there will be no hardship that they will faced since they will got the eyes of the government for its people welfare. Meanwhile, Kelantan is depending on its state own reproduction. If they want to compared the disaster happened in Kelantan happened due to the lack if the state governance, she opposed it. Disaster can be prevented, yes. But how big the scale of the disaster is always a mystery and the state has the highest Malay reserved land it is not a poor state, there is many other mineral sources and the federal state also have debt to be paid to the state.
Royalties amount is not fix. Sometimes it skyrocket and sometimes it plummeted according to the market. It does not have to be an issue since the other state are also facing the same problem too which is they are uncertain to the changing of the state income.
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