SHAH ALAM: Selangor's state reserves have been increasing every year since 2019 despite the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government spending a substantial amount on people's welfare initiatives, said Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari. He said the situation is markedly different from the time of former Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali from 2015 to 2018, where the state reserves were spent but expenditure on welfare initiatives for the people did not increase. In a statement on his Facebook page today, the Selangor PH chairman said when the Hulu Kelang state assemblyman took over the helm of the government in 2015, the reserves were RM3.26 billion but decreased to RM3.05 billion in 2016. He said the reserves continued to shrink during Mohamed Azmin's tenure to RM2.84 billion in 2017 and RM2.14 billion in 2018. "During the last state election (PRN), he said his era had low reserves because he spent a lot. He got angry at me, saying that the reserves were high but there was no spending. Now, he is claiming that during his time, the reserves were high. 'Min (Mohamed Azmin), which is which? Why are you changing your statements and confusing the people?' he said in reply to Mohamed Azmin's allegations that the state's reserves exceeded RM4 billion when he was the Menteri Besar. Amirudin said since leading the state government in 2019, he has been continuously striving to increase the state's reserves for the benefit of future generations, while also increasing initiatives for the welfare of the Selangor people. He said spending on people's welfare initiatives was increased to RM2.37 billion, more than the RM1.3 billion allocated by Mohamed Azmin previously. He said the PH government could afford to spend more after increasing the state's reserves from RM2.14 billion in 2019 to RM2.45 billion in 2020. 'The state's reserves continued to strengthen to RM2.8 billion and RM3.29 billion in 2021 and 2022 respectively, before increasing to RM3.4 billion last year, the highest accumulated since 2008," h e added. Amirudin said this amount did not include the state government's expenditure of RM1 billion to provide three economic stimulus packages during the COVID-19 pandemic, vaccine purchases and the three Kita Selangor packages for Selangor people during the implementation of the Movement Control Order (MCO). "During Azmin Ali's tenure as Selangor MB, was there COVID-19? No!" he said. In this regard, Amirudin urged the people, especially in Kuala Kubu Baharu, not to be confused and influenced by the instigation of those he described as muddled. "Do not be influenced by those who are confused. The Unity Government has proven to be prudent in spending while prioritising the welfare of the Selangor people," said Amirudin. Source: BERNAMA News Agency