SHAH ALAM, 3 Dec: The state government under Pakatan Rakyat (PR) successfully tabled a balanced budget for the sixth consecutive row because of the practice of a high level of transparency and accountability.

The Selangor State Assembly (DNS) session which ended yesterday approved an expenditure budget of RM1.85 billion and use of RM430 million from the state reserves for the Selangor Budget 2014.

The Chief Minister, Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim, was also thankful for the high commitment of Members of the State Legislative Assembly (Assemblymen), including from the opposition party, Barisan Nasional (BN) in debating local and national issues.

“I am also proud because Selangor has taken another step in efforts to uphold the principles of constitutional democracy by recognising the important role of the opposition in the state.

“The opposition does not only serve ad ‘check and balance’ but the opposition leader also received the same facilities provided to state Excos,” he said.

Abdul Khalid said this at a press conference after the DNS winding up session which was also attended by the Speaker, Hannah Yeoh, yesterday.

At the same time, he took the views of various parties regarding the issue of the increase of salary and allowance of the state administration and elected representatives of Selangor as something positive because it is at par with the responsibilities which need to be carried out.

“If assessed, the salaries and allowances in Selangor are not the highest. Instead, the Sarawak Chief Minister received RM39,000, the highest for a state leader,” he said.

Hannah the explained that the DNS approved the suggestion of Assembly Management Committee to give the opposition leader an allowance of RM3,000, a driver, a working secretary, and petrol as well as toll claims up to RM2,000 per month.

She said that the DNS session this time also saw about 84 percent of oral questions being successfully answered throughout the entire session.