Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng's accusation that Kelantan under PAS is a bankrupt state, is an attempt to divert attention from the controversy over the alleged political interference in the Pearl of the Orient's fatwa management, claims Kelantan PAS Youth.

"In an effort to divert attention, Lim attacks Kelantan. Maybe in his estimation, by making Kelantan a target, attention can be diverted from Penang and his own big mouth.

"Though making Kelantan a target will only make him a laughingstock." said the state PAS Youth chief Ahmad Fadhli Shaari in a statement.

Fadhli said that Lim's bankrupt claim cannot stand as Kelantan stood third highest in Malaysia when it comes to home ownership, at 83.9 percent.

He challenged Lim to disclose where Penang stands when it comes to the same matter. He then noted findings by the Khazanah Research Institute in 2016, which put Penang as the third highest state when it comes to the lack of affordability of its residents to own homes.

The Kelantan PAS Youth leader also said that the state had registered a reduction in the percentage of the poor amongst its residents, from 2.7 percent in 2012 to 0.9 percent in 2014.

He also noted that Kelantan also registered an increase of earnings year to year, with RM636.98 million projected for this year, compared to RM593.80 million last year.

Fadhli also said that it is unfair to compare two states as there are many factors to be evaluated, as such it is inhumane to accuse Kelantan of being a bankrupt state.

"I advise Lim to enjoy his last days as a free man as good as he can. I am afraid that once he 'goes inside' (prison) for the second time, a lot of people will rejoice rather than symphathise with him," he said in a parting shot.

Yesterday, news reports quoted Lim saying that PAS is a failed party that is administering a failed state. The Penang state government has also been accused of interfering in the process of gazetting of state fatwas by filtering what fatwas to send for royal assent.