KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 30 ― The Kedah and Perak state leadership have expressed their appreciation for the allocation provided under Budget 2022 that was tabled by Finance Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz at the Dewan Rakyat today.

Kedah Mentri Besar Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor said that while he welcomed the government announcement, the allocation was way less than what they had requested.

As such, he hopes to be able to hold discussions with the federal government from time to time so that higher special allocations could be given to the state.

"I am confident that they will be open to negotiations about Kedah’s need for a higher special allocation. This is not merely because Kedah is a poor state but involves the ‘sacrifices’ it has to make for national interests,” he said in a statement today.

He added that Kedah also had to maintain 341,000 hectares of forest reserves, with a large part of it being the water catchment area in Hulu Muda that not only supplies water to the people of Kedah but also Penang.

Muhammad Sanusi also welcomed the federal government’s concern in providing a special allocation of RM20 million for the less developed states, including Kedah, along with the allocation for the Pantai Merdeka beach erosion prevention project in the Kuala Muda district and the historical tourism exploration project in the Sungai Batu Archeology Complex.

"With the attention given by the federal government, especially the Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry, towards valuable historical heritage assets in Sungai Batu, I am certain that it will become the latest attraction for research communities around the world,” he said.

Perak Housing, Local Government and Tourism Committee chairman Datuk Nolee Ashilin Mohamed Radzi said Perak, as a domestic tourism destination, required infrastructure assistance in eco-tourism areas that will spur the economy of local communities.

"It (the use of allocations) includes the development of Ban Pecah in Kerian, 7 Lata Selama, Firefly Jetty in Kampung Dew, Taiping and the duty-free island in Pangkor in addition to the Kinta Valley Geopark and upcoming projects in Lenggong,” she said when contacted by Bernama.

During the tabling of Budget 2022 today, Tengku Zafrul announced RM260 million in special allocations for each state, focusing on various projects relating to food security, tourism and environmental preservation and conservation. ― Bernama