KUALA LUMPUR: Lim Guan Eng today revealed a letter from the Kelantan government seeking a loan from Putrajaya in defence of his claim that the east coast state had no money to pay its civil servants.

The finance minister said according to the letter, the PAS-led government had requested RM97 million, but the ministry approved only RM22.5 million.

“I am now showing you proof that the Kelantan government asked the federal government for an advance, saying if they could not obtain it, they wouldn’t be able to pay the salaries.

“This letter states that their shortfall means they would be unable to pay a total of RM24.5 million in salaries to their staff, including part-time workers, as well as other bills,” he said at a press conference outside the Dewan Rakyat.

Lim’s claim that the Kelantan government had no money to pay its civil servants caused a stir in the Dewan Rakyat earlier this week, with PAS and other opposition MPs calling it an insult and demanding that Lim retract his statement.

Lim had said this following a suggestion by PAS’ Kota Bahru MP Takiyuddin Hassan that Kelantan, Terengganu and Pahang handle the East Coast Rail Link project if it is cancelled following negotiations between Putrajaya and China.

Lim said his remark was a fact, citing a news report earlier this year in which former prime minister Najib Razak said if it were not for Putrajaya, Kelantan would not be able to pay its civil servants.

In the Dewan Rakyat today, Lim (PH-Bagan) said Sabah and Sarawak had never asked the federal government for help to pay its civil servants.

He was responding to Awang Hashim (PAS-Pendang), who asked whether the two states had ever done so.

“This is unlike certain states that put in black and white, asking for funds as they cannot pay their civil servants,” he said, adding that Awang appeared to have an ulterior motive in asking the question.