SHAH ALAM, Oct 31 — Menteri Besar Dato’ Seri Amirudin Shari has reiterated that Selangor’s economy has continued to grow had not shown a decline since 2019.
Rebutting his predecessor Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali, Amirudin said that claims that the state economy is deteriorating are inaccurate but has instead recorded higher figures than the time Mohamed Azmin administered Selangor.
He said that Selangor’s contribution to the gross domestic product (GDP) amounted to 24.8 per cent in 2021 and had never registered a decline since 2013.
“From year to year since 2013, we (Selangor) have never recorded a drop (in GDP contribution). Our contribution to the national GDP is at 24.8 (per cent). During Azmin Ali’s time, the highest was 23.7 (per cent).
“How can a mathematics graduate not tell the difference between 24.8 and 23.7 (per cent) and not know which is higher?” said the Selangor Pakatan Harapan (PH) chairman when delivering a speech in Sekinchan on Saturday.
Commenting on the state’s reserves, which amounted to RM3.4 billion, Amirudin said that it is much stronger compared during Mohamed Azmin’s administration.
He said that the reserves in 2019 stood at RM2.1 billion, following Azmin’s spending deficit of RM800 million in 2018.
“Reserves were only RM2.1 billion because you (Azmin) spent a deficit of RM800 million in 2018. We (current administration) spent no less than RM500 million, RM600 million.
“He left with the state (reserves) at RM2.1 billion. Now it stands at RM3.4 billion, which is much higher,” Amirudin said.
The Menteri Besar had also stated that Mohamed Azmin had lied to the voters when the latter accused Selangor of experiencing economic decline, which included the value of reserves.
He said that Mohamed Azmin had not asked for the official economic figures when contacting the state secretary, even though the latter claimed that his statement was based on figures obtained from a senior official.
“He (Azmin) didn’t know that I was beside SS (state secretary) when he called.
“He didn’t ask for a single figure. But today (October 29), he is trying to lie to the Malaysians, lie to (the people of) Gombak,” Amirudin added.
