The Malaysian Insight

PAKATAN Harapan lawmakers have started receiving a portion of the constituency funds promised to members of Parliament following the signing of the memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the government and the opposition parties.

The Pakatan lawmakers told The Malaysian Insight they can now channel more aid to their constituents with some of them even listing out how the money is spent.

The MOU on transformation and political stability signed between the government of Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob and Pakatan Harapan parties (PKR, DAP, Amanah and Upko) in September promised parliamentary reforms, the lowering of voting age to 18 and also equal funding for all constituencies.

The promise of equal funding was a break from past practice where the government of the day had always given larger allocations to government MPs. Only RM100,000 was allocated for each opposition MP then.

Ipoh Timur MP Wong Kah Woh said MPs were allocated RM500,000 in an outright grant for 2021. Of this, RM250,000 was credited on October 1, he said.

On how his funds were spent, the DAP MP said he distributed the RM250,000 to 28 national, vernacular and religious schools in his constituency to help poor students with online learning.

“They can use the money to buy computers, tablets, printers and payment of Internet fees. The amount allocated is from RM5,000 to RM20,000, depending on the number of students,” Wong told The Malaysian Insight.

He felt the need to disburse the funds to schools due to the urgency, considering that the poor students’ studies have been affected by the Covid-19 epidemic.

“For the next RM250,000, my focus will be on helping those who are badly affected by the epidemic,” he said, adding that the money will be disbursed to lawmakers on November 1.

Kangar MP Noor Amin Ahmad from PKR said lawmakers will receive the full allocation next year.

“For this year, it is only a small amount, prorated from the time left to spend,” Noor Amin said, without disclosing the amount received.

“Basically, this allocation is for the people. Part of the allocation is restricted for small infrastructure development while some are for charity programmes.

“In 2019, which was the first and only time I had received a full year’s  allocation, a quarter was allocated for the education sector such as schools, parent and teacher associations, sports, etc.

“Half was spent on festivities, gotong-royong activities, holding dialogues and sports societies.

“The rest are for contributions (to the people) either (through) money, equipment or food baskets to various vulnerable groups,” he said.

Kuala Krai MP Abdul Latif Abdul Rahman shared a list of projects  implemented in his constituency this year, including the construction of new roads, refurbishing mosques, food aid, financial aid for deaths and others.

The PAS MP, however, did not reveal how much he received under the special allocation.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Special Functions) Mastura Mohd Yazid told the Dewan Rakyat last month that Putrajaya agreed to provide equal constituency funds to all lawmakers for the remaining four months of the year.

She said it was part of Ismail’s commitment to implementing parliamentary reform and transformation.

Not all MPs received the special allocation

While it was earlier reported that equal funding will be provided for government and opposition MPs under the MOU, only those MPs involved in the agreement will benefit.

This excludes parties such as Warisan, Pejuang, Parti Sarawak Bersatu as well as independent MPs.

Penampang MP Darell Leiking of the Sabah-based Warisan party said he did not receive the allocation as the party was not a signatory to the bipartisan MOU.

Leiking said he has only received the RM100,000 annual allocation given to Opposition MPs so far.

On how he will manage without the funds, Leiking said the people understand his constraints.

“I was elected to Parliament in 2013 and I was also in the Opposition. We had very good people who forgave us for not being able to accommodate them and good people who understood that we are policymakers and not merely aid givers.

“Unfortunately, there are a lot of people who also expect us to be welfare parliamentarians. We try our best to give from our allowance as well as  contributions from friends who sympathise with our cause,” he added. – October 27, 2021.