The Penang government has taken steps to improve the performance of village development and security committees (JKKK) by increasing the monthly allowances of their members.

JKKK chairpersons and secretaries will now get an extra RM50 in allowances, from RM650 to RM700 (for chairpersons) and RM550 to RM600 (for secretaries).

“This involves an increased cost of RM358,800, which totals RM6,857,200 yearly for the Penang government,” said Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng in a statement today.

“The hike in allowances is also meant to reduce the burden from the current economic situation of the country,” he added.

Lim said ordinary members of JKKKs would get a RM10 increase in allowance from RM40 to RM50 monthly.

This would incur an annual increase of RMRM38,870 or a total cost of RM466,440 for the Penang government, Lim added.

To empower JKKKs, Lim said each committee must have at least one female member.

“The assemblypersons in each constituency must facilitate this process as it is also our way of acknowledging the role of women in our administration,” Lim said.

Worst to come in 2017

Lim said Malaysia and Penang are facing an economic crisis due to the mismanagement of 1MDB which cost the nation some RM52 billion losses, the shocking fall of the ringgit, rise in cost of living, and the burdensome six percent goods and services tax (GST).

Lim claimed that the people also faced aggressive tax audits by the Inland Revenue Department.

“These factors have reduced our cash flow from the financial markets and the economy, which results in less businesses and buying power for Malaysians.

“The situation in 2017 is expected to be worse,” warned the DAP secretary-general.

Nevertheless, the state government had increased high-impact development programmes and projects for the people in 2017, Lim said.

These included projects for road construction (RM57.57 million) and flood mitigation (RM220 million).

He noted that low, low-medium cost and kampung residents are exempted from paying their annual assessment rates, while other property owners enjoy a six percent tax exemption.

Services provided by the local councils - Penang Island City Council and Seberang Perai Municipal Council are GST exempted, Lim recalled.

“The 1.6 million Penangites will save some RM55.19 million out of these benefits”.