No misuse of funds during emergency, pledges Johor MB

ISKANDAR PUTERI: Johor menteri besar Hasni Mohammad has given an assurance the state government will not misuse public funds, including the consolidated funds during the emergency period.

This comes after a new emergency ordinance was gazetted allowing the prime minister and chief ministers or menteris besar to pass a supplementary budget and use consolidated funds without having to go through the legislature during the emergency period.

They previously had to seek the approval of Parliament or the state assemblies to use the funds.

“We (the state government) do not spend without procedures. While it does not need to go through the state legislative assembly, any requirement for an additional budget must be proposed and presented at a committee level,” Hasni told FMT.

“Then, it will be brought before the Yang di-Pertuan Agong for approval,” he said, adding that there was no such thing as “a non-transparent, undemocratic, and military junta government”.

On Friday, Umno deputy president Mohamad Hasan said the government’s move to increase expenditure without having to go through Parliament or the state assemblies was “extremely worrying”.

He said the state of emergency did not give the government “a free pass” to disregard accountability and transparency, and that any action deemed valid during an emergency must be based on values, morals and principles. — Free Malaysia Today