A total of RM4 billion in “wang ehsan”, or goodwill payment, has been distributed to Terengganu between 2023 and 2025, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said.
Kelantan has received RM967 million, Anwar, who is also the finance minister said.
These funds were meant to implement projects and programmes that benefit the people of the two states, he said, adding that the allocation was not distributed to other states.
Anwar said this in a parliamentary reply to Ahmad Marzuk Shaary (PN-Pengkalan Chepa), who wanted to know the status of the payment of petroleum royalties to the east coast states.
He said the wang ehsan was distributed to Terengganu and Kelantan despite no petroleum being “won and saved” from the two states.
In March last year, Anwar said his administration allocated a total of RM1.55 billion for Terengganu’s development last year, despite petroleum royalties amounting to only RM786 million.
He said the development expenditure of the PAS-led state increased to RM1.59 billion this year.
Anwar also said total petroleum royalties for Terengganu increased during his administration compared to when PAS and Bersatu were in the federal government, with only RM399 million recorded in 2022.
