The Malaysian Insight

IMPROVING the standard of living in Selangor would be the main priority of the Pakatan Harapan (PH) administration should it retain power after state polls expected in July, said PKR state leaders. 

With people in Selangor already benefitting from various schemes under the PKR-led state, leaders said it was time to look into elevating the lifestyles of residents in the country’s richest state. 

Kuala Selangor PKR chief Thiban Subramaniam said should PH retain Selangor, they should consider increasing the incomes of people in the state. 

“Although Selangor is referred to as a high-income state, the high-paying jobs in the state are still not up to satisfactory levels. 

“We need to create high-paying jobs that increase incomes,” Thiban told The Malaysian Insight. 

The state has always been Malaysia’s economic powerhouse and the highest contributor to the national GDP for over a decade. 

In 2021, however, Selangor was ranked lowest in the Malaysian Happiness Index due to low incomes and economic issues. 

Thiban said Selangor should now select investments that could generate high-paying jobs for its people. 

He added that Selangor must also continue elevating the well-being of the hardcore poor. 

“In Selangor, we want to give opportunities to the hardcore poor to make a decent living. 

“Selangor has vast land that could be used for agricultural purposes. Just like the ongoing Sabak Bernam Development Area (Sabda) project, the state should create similar projects in other districts to provide job opportunities that would in turn stimulate economic growth for the state. 

“For example, Selangor has this hugely successful Jelajah Ehsan Rakyat initiative run by the Selangor Agricultural Development Corporation (PKPS). 

“Through PKPS, they can develop the land for agricultural purposes and whatever is yielded can be purchased by the state and sold to the public. 

“This will generate income for the hardcore poor, as well as the state,” Thiban said. 

The Sabda project in Sabak Bernam was meant to make the place a leading agricultural district that would contribute to the state’s progress. 

Announced in July last year, Sabda involved the development of high-value crops estimated to generate up to RM248 million in revenue annually. 

Among its main projects include the development of the Sekinchan Fish Landing Complex and the Air Manis business centre. 

Looking after the elderly 

Meanwhile, PKR’s Bukit Lanjan representative Elizabeth Wong said the state would need to consider taking care of its aging population. 

Apart from health and other related schemes offered by the state, Wong said there should be an increase in “liveable wages”. 

“Currently the Department of Social Welfare gives up to RM400 monthly but there is no way anyone can live on that. 

“It’s impossible. I call this ‘not dead and not alive’. That means they just have enough to stay alive but no quality of living. Life is a living hell. 

“I have proposed to the state government and will also propose to the prime minister that we have to start giving proper welfare. 

“Throughout my time, I’ve seen so many families struggle. I think we should put an end to it,” the three-term Bukit Lanjan assemblyman said. 

Wong, who is also a PKR central leadership council member, proposed increasing the welfare amount to RM900 monthly. 

“We always talk about a minimum wage; here in welfare, we need a liveable wage. 

“Let’s say the living wage is RM900, the welfare payment to the family must be RM900. In this case, the family doesn’t have to think where they should get money to pay rent and afford school fees, books, transport, food, and others. 

“When it comes to welfare payments, the practice in the past was that the federal government would pay 50% and the state government would pay another 50%. Hence, we need both to agree to pay, at this time, at least RM900 minimum,” she said. 

Wong added that the payments should also extend to pensioners. 

“They have so many issues like health, housing, and others. 

“They may have children, but they might not be there to take care of them all the time, as they would have their own families and issues to take care of. 

“Some pensioners have no income, and they would have fully utilised all their EPF savings too,” she said. 

Increasing state revenue 

Wong said despite Selangor being the richest state, its revenue was returned to its people through various schemes. 

She said incomes in Selangor would not necessarily increase in line with an increase in the population.  

Wong proposed Selangor impose taxes related to environmental issues. 

“I propose the Selangor government start taxing carbon intensive industries, of which we have a few. 

“Carbon is a big issue. People evaluate the progress of a country or even firm based on carbon emissions. The state government has the capacity to tax, and they should tax. That will give the government extra income. 

“Another is the Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES). 

“Meaning that we, the people, pay for the services provided by trees, even in gardens or forests,” she said. 

The basic concept of PES is that those who benefit from ecosystem services should pay compensation to those who provide them. 

She said all the environmental issues had led to climate change, which would require massive expenditure to avert disaster. 

“The government needs big funds for climate change adaptation and mitigation. 

“Nowadays, it is not just about floods. Almost every other day, roofs are flying off, trees are falling. We are seeing more landslides, floods, and more. 

“We as a state government have to be prepared for all these disasters and must have funds.   

“I’ve proposed a special budget for hillslope maintenance alone, at least RM500 million. That is the amount needed to secure all the major hillslopes in Selangor,” she said. 

PH has been in power in Selangor since winning the state in 2008. There is speculation that state polls will be held in late June or early July. PH and its new ally Barisan Nasional are expected to face a tough fight from PAS and the Bersatu-powered Perikatan Nasional. – April 25, 2023.