Kuala lumpur: Finance Minister II Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan met with the Sultan of Pahang, Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah, last week to provide clarification on federal allocations and assistance channelled to the state. He said the audience enabled him to give a comprehensive briefing covering federal allocations to Pahang, which have shown yearly increases, as well as focusing on priority projects proposed by the state government.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, during the briefing, it was highlighted that there is a commitment from the federal government to assist states, including Pahang, through the implementation of development projects and increasing allocations year by year. Amir Hamzah noted that several proposals were made by His Royal Highness during the meeting, which will be reviewed for potential improvements in existing processes to better assist the state.
The Micro Credit Outreach Programme, where these remarks were shared, was attended by Treasury secretary-general Tan Sri Johan Mahmood Merican and strategic partners such as Bank Simpanan Nasional, Agrobank, Bank Rakyat, and other key agencies. Amir Hamzah emphasized that federal assistance to Pahang is not only through the state government but also includes direct initiatives like Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah (STR) and Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (SARA).
The commitment to Pahang's development is further demonstrated through strategic projects on the East Coast, including the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL), expected to be completed by the end of this year. The high-impact project is anticipated to attract new investments, enhancing infrastructure development and industrial areas along the East Coast.
Amir Hamzah explained that post-ECRL completion, the focus would be on developing industrial zones and improving supporting infrastructure to cater to investors. This briefing followed concerns raised on May 8 by the Tengku Mahkota of Pahang, Tengku Hassanal Ibrahim Alam Shah, about federal allocations to the state, prompting Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to instruct Amir Hamzah to provide a detailed explanation to the Sultan.