DUN Pahang: B-day.

Yes, once again its Budget day for DUN Pahang.

The Pahang state assembly sits for its annual budget sitting. The MB will present his case to appropriate a certain sum of money to spend in 2010. I haven't seen the speech but can make a guess as to the content.

As usual, next year's budget will be a deficit budget. So that our ADUNs know, deficit budget means we spend more than what we earned. Probably, the government income for Pahang this year is around RM600-700 million. Those came from tax revenues on land, quit rents, tax revenue from timber, a little from mining, dividends from its GLCs if any and so forth. Not enough but not to worry says the MB. The country and state will never go bankrupt.

Government revenue represents that portion of the state's income that was collected through taxes, dividends on investments and interests on deposits, taxes and royalties from timber and agriculture. I never had the chance before to ask, what is the state's gross domestic product? - I.e. the value of all services and goods produced by the state. Rising or decreasing?

It's important for ADUNs to know because then, they can analyse the economic health of the state. Comparing the state's GDP can throw some light whether the government has managed the state well. We can then know what proportion of that GDP has the government managed to collect as revenue=income for the previous year. For example RM700 million revenue on a turnover of how much?

Then we can start asking intelligent questions. Suppose in 2009, G's income was lower than in 2008, why was that? Maybe because some district office failed to collect revenues within the prescribed time? Maybe because there has been extensive leakages in the collection of revenues? I hope some bright ADUN will ask this question this year. Tolong kasi tahu sama kita. Berapa besar pendapatan negeri Pahang? ( bukan hasil kerajaan)

What has contributed to the state's ups and downs? Theft for example? Daylight robbery? For example, I am very much agitated to ask, what are the losses of timber revenue from the state? Last two weeks for example, we read reports that thieves stole 3000 tons of timber from an area somewhere in Rompin. I asked a friend- hello taikor- ini 3000 ton, bulapa lama lu boleh kasi keluar? He answered; it may take up to 2-3 months depending on the terrain and machinery you are using. This means, the theft of 3000 tons to timber isn't a task that takes 2-3 days! It takes an extended time sufficient for detection if the people in the forest department are not sleeping. Sure we cannot catch the people behind the eco heist- but there is a direct route to catch them. Arrest the state forest officer, arrest the DFO and arrest the rangers- make them sing like canaries and you will surely discover the hidden hands.

So, if I were still an ADUN, I shall ask, tolong beritahu saya, berapa nilai kecucian balak sejak 5 tahun kebelakang ini? I am sure the state SFO will be shitting in his pants.

( no spelling mistake there- i mean cuci bersih. nilai cuci bersih kita punya hutan).

To be continued….