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Economic alliance in the making |
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Posted by admin
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Saturday, 06 December 2008 10:17 |
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(New Straits Times) - The menteris besar of Kedah, Perak, Selangor, Kelantan and the chief minister of Penang will meet early next year to cement cooperation by charting common economic policies.
To kick-start the informal alliance Kelantan has invited its more developed Pakatan Rakyat-led partner states to open tourist facilities there.
Pas vice-president Datuk Husam Musa, who represented Kelantan Menteri Besar Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat, said if the five states could come up with effective economic partnerships, they could be more competitive than Barisan Nasional-led states.
"We need to be united and coordinated in the five states under Pakatan, especially on economic matters.
"Apart from tourism, we need to work out a comprehensive strategy to reduce costs in the agricultural sector as the Federal Government has failed in this aspect," he said, adding that Kelantan would propose that the five states set up a special fund to tackle the issue of rising fertiliser costs.
His views were echoed by Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin, who said the state had started talks with Selangor and Penang on water supply and with Kelantan on the laying of gas pipelines.
The announcement was made at a two-day international conference themed "The New Economic Vision for Penang and Malaysia" organised by investPenang.
Selangor Menteri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim said such cooperation was crucial with the looming threat of global economic meltdown.
He said the Federal Government should focus on Pakatan-led states as they contributed more than 50 per cent of national revenue.
Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said Pakatan states did not want to isolate themselves but criticised certain federal ministers who refused to cooperate with them.
He said such an attitude was detrimental to the states and would harm the economy.
"We welcome the deputy prime minister's call for everyone to work together to see the country through the looming recession.
"However, we hope that it is not just a political statement but a statesman's statement," Lim said.
Among those present were Gerakan co-founder Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu, who was invited by the state government.
However, conspicuously missing was Datuk Seri Azizan Abdul Razak.
Husam, when asked about Azizan's absence, said the Kedah menteri besar could not make it due to ill health.
"He is on MC but there are others representing Kedah here."
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