KOTA BARU: The Kelantan government received about RM218 million of "wang ihsan" (compassionate payment) from the Federal government up to last year.

Menteri Besar Datuk Mohd Nassuruddin Daud expressed hope that the state government would receive a bigger payment this year, adding that it had yet to receive this year's payment.

"In the previous years, the state government received the payments in April and December and now, it is only March.

"In conjunction with this holy month of Ramadan, we hope and pray that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim will consider giving us more payment this year.

"If possible, we want the payment earlier but it is up to him (Prime Minister)," he said.

Nassuruddin, who is also the Meranti assemblyman told reporters this after attending a breaking of fast event with local media practitioners here last night.

Also present were state Islamic Development, Dakwah, Information and Regional Relations committee chairman Mohd Asri Mat Daud and State Local Government, Housing, Health, and Environment Hilmi Abdullah.

The "wang ihsan" is a payment made for petroleum produced off the coast of Kelantan and Terengganu.

During the tabling of the 2023 Budget last month, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced that the Finance Ministry would allocate some money from the "wang ihsan" to be channeled directly to help the poor and needy.

In 2021, the then-finance minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz had said Petronas would not pay petroleum royalty to any states in the peninsula as petroleum production was being carried out outside of the states' waters.

Pas leaders particularly from Kelantan and Terengganu had repeatedly made calls for the federal government to pay petroleum royalty to the states, maintaining they were entitled to the payment under an agreement signed with Petronas in 1975.

On March 21, a Perikatan Nasional Senator claimed that the federal government still owes Terengganu oil royalty payments.

When debating the royal address in the Dewan Negara, Datuk Razali Idris, who is also Bersatu information chief, said Terengganu was supposed to be paid royalties for the first quarter of 2023 but did not happen.

He added the Prime Minister promised that royalties would be paid after the six state elections in August last year.

"We waited until after the election, yet we still did not receive it (royalties)," he said.

Razali's remarks come after Anwar hit out at an opposition leader for claiming Putrajaya treated Terengganu cruelly over parliamentary allocations and "wang ihsan."

Although Anwar did not name anyone, he is believed to have been referring to remarks made by Terengganu Menteri Besar and Kemaman member of Parliament Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar.

Anwar had said allocations for Terengganu were higher than under other federal administrations, including those led by PN.

https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2024/03/1031019/kelantan-govt-hopes-receive-higher-wang-ihsan-payment- year