The Malaysian Insight

STATE assemblymen with allocation issues should not drag the palace into the matter, Selangor Menteri Besar Azmin Ali said today after his administration last week froze funds to PAS elected representatives.

He called such moves childish as it was a matter that could be resolved internally.

“If there are problems at the district level, an assemblyman can meet the district officer, as the district officer also controls funds at that level, or he can meet me. My door is always open for discussions,” Azmin said today.

“There is no need to go to the palace. It is childish to bring matters concerning the state’s administration to the palace,” he told reporters after launching Selangor’s aid scheme for mothers, known by its Bahasa Malaysia acronym KISS.

Azmin said development allocations were given yearly and were usually handed out on January 1 to all state assemblymen. This year, however, he admitted there was a delay.

“Usually, by this time of the year, the allocations from the state treasury to the district officers will be handed out. But it is taking a bit longer this time, although I have given reminders that it should be done quickly so that programmes are not delayed,” he said.

Azmin was responding to PAS Selangor’s concerns about the freezing of allocations for the party’s assemblymen.

Selangor PAS commissioner Sallehen Mukhyi had complained that the assemblymen were informed of the freeze by the state Economic Planning Unit, although no official letter had been issued.

Sallehen said PAS may seek the Selangor Sultan’s intervention if they did not receive an answer from the state administration.

The move was reported as a step to sever ties with the Islamist party after Azmin, who is also PKR deputy president, failed to secure PAS’ cooperation to avoid three-cornered fights in the 14th general election.

Officially, both parties no longer have ties, and PAS is no longer part of the opposition pact although its lawmakers remain in the Selangor administration.

It had also been speculated that Azmin’s move to freeze allocations was in retaliation to the Kelantan government’s move not to appoint PKR lawmakers as its coordinator for constituencies held by BN.

The state government allocates RM800,000 for each assemblyman and RM300,000 for each MP in the state each year.

PAS has 13 assemblymen and one federal lawmaker (Hulu Langat). – January 22, 2018.