Wednesday, November 02, 2016

Selangor Budget - What about workers, farmers, erasing tol, human rights?

Selangor 2017 Budget - but have you seen the Accounts for previous years? How have the money been spent?

Workers - Lots of unemployed workers by reason of retrenchments, VSS, termination, etc - NO Assistance for Workers? Should not Selangor be helping its unemployed workers too - when the Federal government is failing in this respect...After all workers in Selangor work in companies in Selangor, which Selangor earns through land taxes, cukai pintu and business licenses... all of which conditions could be imposed by Selangor to protect worker rights...Trade unions are weak and lack resources - money could be spend by Selangor government to promote awareness of rights, and ensuring rights are protected.

What about Human Rights? Does Selangor have a place where the people of Selangor can bring their complaints about worker rights violation, wrongdoings of the police and other government agencies - then the government could get involved in assisting complainants and ensuring that Selangor becomes a State where rights are promoted, respected...Rights education is also needed...What about supporting of HR organisations by State allocations to groups that promote rights of the people...

Is Selangor supporting the various Churches, Temples, etc...cemeteries - maybe a nominal allocation of RM5,000 for maintenance per year would be good.

What about the elderly? Any assistance for the elderly - Day Care Centres for the Elderly would be good? Assistance to Old Folks Homes in Selangor will be good?

Free Health care for RM125 million for 250,000 families from B40 group ...and that comes to about RM500 per family? - when we have government hospitals and clinics, it looks like he is talking about getting healthcare from private clinics and hospitals??? This is not right - healthcare should be for what is provided government hospitals/clinics, already subsidized so much by the Malaysian tax payer. Exception would be for care not provided there - then one can go to private establishment. Is Azmin trying to profit some private insurance companies? some private clinics/hospitals? Allocation for healthcare is good - but how the money is used need to be studied carefully...

Why is Azmin talking about allocations for waste - has the contracts already been allocated to private companies? Why is the government spending some more?

What about the tols and parking rates - maybe Selangor should 'terminate' agreements with these private companies which now collect tol - and cancell tol in Selangor, and spend money for highway/road maintenance which could be done by the State government?

Selangor GLCs - has there been transparency as to how much money they have earned for Selangor government? Well, there are companies like the 1MDB also in Selangor, and what is Selangor's solution to prevent 'kleptocracy'? Maybe, we need a State government auditing or ombudsman department that will continuously monitor these Selangor GLCs - money could be invested for this.

Azmin was formerly from UMNO-BN > and so, some say that his style of governance differ little from UMNO-BN? True or False?

What about farmers and fisherfolk? Any assistance there? Any plans to encourage farming? 

What about education for children of the poor in Selangor - well the State could provide highly subsidised tuition for children of the poor?

TRANSPARENCY - Accounts need to be detailed and available to the public. One wonders whether the State owned companies or GLCs are not doing things wrong - no money should be flowing to the political parties or politicians directly or through 'CSR-Corporate Social Responsibility' projects. Government owned companies and GLCs must be making money for Selangor government - and all profits need to flow back to the State coffers not anywhere else...
 



Monday, 31 October 2016 | MYT 12:55 PM

RM3.5bil budget for Selangor


SHAH ALAM: Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Azmin Ali (pic) announced an RM3.45bil state budget, which includes the largest-ever amount allocated to development in the state’s history.

About 52.2% of the budget – or RM1.8bil – will go towards development, while the remaining 47.8% or RM1.65bil will go towards management.

“Selangor is once again the leader in preparing a development allocation which exceeds the management allocation,” Azmin declared.

He said the 2017 Federal Budget only allocated 18% towards development, adding that Selangor’s development allocation was an increase of 25% or RM360mil more than that allocated for 2016.

Under the 2017 state budget, families with a household income of RM3,000 or less will be given medical and healthcare coverage amounting to RM500 a year.

“For this, the state government plans to allocate RM125mil a year,” said Azmin, adding that this would provide free healthcare services to some 250,000 families from the B40 or “Below 40” lower income group.

He said recipients will get medical cards which can be used in some 1,000 clinics in the Klang Valley which have registered to participate in the scheme.

Selangor has also allocated of RM5mil to battle dengue and zika in the state, a significant increase over the RM1.5mil allocated for 2016.

Azmin said the increased allocation will be used to increase pest control activities by local councils.

The 2017 budget also includes a plan to allocate RM192.7mil towards the establishment of the Semenyih 2 and Labohan Dagang water treatment plants.

Construction of the Semenyih 2 water treatment plant is expected to be completed in December, 2017, while the Labohan Dagang water treatment plant will be fully operational by the middle of 2018,” said Azmin.

Selangor also increased its allocation for the state Drainage and Irrigation Department (JPS) to RM135mil in 2017 to implement 85 flood mitigation projects that have been identified.

Azmin said the allocation, an increase of 68.7% from the previous year, will cover, among others, flood mitigation projects in Sungai Kandis in Klang (RM7.5mil), Kampung Melayu Subang (RM6mil), and Sungai Labu in Sepang (RM3mil).

“The allocation will also be used to implement other flood mitigation projects at the Klang and Langat river basins, including upgrading drainage, reservoirs, and coastal development,” he said.

Changes in the global weather require everyone to take proactive measures against disasters such as extreme heat and drought, while floods and disease outbreaks have to be properly handled so as not to adversely affect the rakyat, said Azmin.

“The Selangor state administration is concerned about the importance of the development of irrigation and drainage systems to contain rainwater runoff.

“JPS has to provide the engineering expertise and management of water resources, river basins, coastal zones, and flood and drought management in an integrated manner.

“The state administration will not neglect the effort and support required by JPS to carry out this responsibility,” he added.

Meanwhile, Azmin said RM7.3mil will be allocated to conserve, upgrade, and maintain landfills in Selangor.

“At present, Selangor folk generate a total of 6,000 tons of solid waste daily.

“A properly built landfill with integrated and systematic waste management will lessen the negative impact on the environment.

“We ask the people to be prepared to accept new and safe technology that has been proven to save energy,” he added. - Star Online, 31/10/2016

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