Two mega-projects in Terengganu proposed by the Barisan Nasional (BN) government before the state was captured by PAS in the 1999 general elections have been frozen to enable the financing of more 'worthwhile projects'.

Inter-racial state liaison officer Ng Chai Hing told malaysiakini today that the projects were a huge state mosque costing some RM100 million and an extravagant sports complex estimated to cost RM200 million.

According to Ng, the projects, proposed by the BN government, were to be located in Kuala Terengganu, the state's capital.

"The Terengganu state has the most number of mosques in the country, about 700 of them. The new PAS government has frozen the project because they saw no need for another one," he explained.

"Meanwhile, the sports complex was envisaged as another white elephant similar to the recently built state library, which is under-utilised," he added.

Ng claimed the BN government had left PAS with a RM731 million federal debt and 10 unprofitable subsidiary companies with a total liability of RM400 million as the state government is a third party guarantor to these companies.

These are companies dealing with saw-milling, construction and tourism, which were set up although the was direct competition from local businessmen and women, said Ng.

"The former government concentrated only on mega-projects because they wanted to swindle money," he claimed.

'Revenge politics'

Ng who contested as an independent candidate in the previous general elections but lost to a PAS candidate, accused BN of practising "revenge politics".

Not only did the federal government withdraw the "controversial" five percent oil royalty that had been given to the state under the Petroleum Development Act 1975, it also had channeled RM41 million directly to schools and three higher institutions of learning recently, which instead should have been directed to the state, said Ng.

The money, part of the ' wang ehsan ' (goodwill payment) that was given in place of the oil royalty, was however channeled back to the state by the schools and institutions which took the view that the state was in a better position to plan and distribute funds according to specific needs, he added.

Last year, the federal government had ordered oil giant Petronas not to pay the annual royalty amounting to RM850 million to the PAS state government, a transaction which was practised when BN ruled the state.

Following this, PAS filed a suit against the federal government and Petronas on March 8, this year.

Other "revenge tactics", said Ng, was the federal government's refusal to continue its airport expansion project in Kuala Terengganu.

The project was put on hold as the federal government expected the state to pay compensation totaling RM100 million to residents around the proposed area of expansion, he said, adding the state could not afford it due to a substantial loss incurred form the withdrawal of the oil royalty.

'A ploy'

Meanwhile, a former member of Parliament (MP) criticised the PAS government for harping on the oil royalty issue instead of coming up with alternative plans to develop the state.

Ibrahim Azmi said PAS should have been prepared with the necessary expertise and ideas on how to run a state before it came into power. It should not constantly blame the federal government for hijacking the oil royalty money.

"A government is not like a tree. We do not have to see it grow. PAS should have been prepared with an extensive development plan to enhance the current status of the people here," he told malaysiakini .

"For this, we need really good leaders. Leaders who care for the people. I am afraid to say that we do not have such leaders now. Although we have a new (PAS) government, it is not very different from BN," he said.

Ibrahim who served as an MP for Kuala Nerus from 1982 to 1990 stressed that Terengganu is in need of projects which can create jobs for the people.

Putting projects on hold, he said, will eventually lead to the people having no jobs and suffering a loss of income.

"Forget the oil royalty money, generate your own income," he urged PAS leaders, adding that a good foundation had already been laid down by the previous BN government.

PAS should shift away from its current attitude of claiming themselves more Islamic than Umno and using it as a 'ploy' to gain support.

"I have been treated badly by PAS," Ibrahim said. "In the last general elections, they told people not to vote for me as I was from Umno and therefore not Islamic," he added.