PARLIAMENT | Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng has agreed to look into amending laws to ensure that federal allocations are distributed equally among all states.

"The federal government is willing to consider the suggestion," he said during the question-and-answer session in the Dewan Rakyat today.

He was responding to Mukhriz Mahathir (Harapan-Jerlun) who asked if the government was willing to review certain laws – some formulated in the 1960s – to ensure fair treatment for all states in term of federal allocations.

According to Lim, Pakatan Harapan had promised to treat all states equally in its election manifesto.

"The federal government will continue and improve its relationship with all state governments in terms of funding.

"All the allocations and assistance via the laws, the Federal Constitution, the National Finance Council and the cabinet, will be continued," he said.

However, Lim qualified that these would be dependent on the financial status of the federal government.

"But the federal government will find ways to improve the financial status of states which lack funding.

"We do hope, however, that the states will bear with us and give us time so we can recover our fiscal position," he said.

The finance minister also urged the state governments to not solely depend on funding from the federal government.

"We also want to see the state governments improve their administration and practice efficient, accountable and transparent governance," he said.