Opposition MPs demand equality, reject RM100,000 allocation proposal

July 7, 2024

Opposition MPs demand equality, reject RM100,000 allocation proposal

PETALING JAYA: Opposition MPs have criticised the proposal by Umno leader Ahmad Maslan that they be allocated RM100,000, similar to the sum he received when he was in the opposition bloc from 2018 to 2020.

Muar MP Syed Saddiq Abdul Rahman said the Pontian MP’s statement smacks of retaliatory politics and does not consider the needs of the people.

According to the former youth and sports minister, Anwar Ibrahim’s government should treat the opposition equally, demonstrated by the administrations of Ismail Sabri Yaakob and the current Johor government led by Onn Hafiz Ghazi.

“They are punishing innocent people who need welfare assistance, milk, disposable nappies, food baskets, laptops, and tablets … this is being done solely because of retaliatory politics.

“My advice is to treat the opposition the same way, because you will be treated the same way when you are in the opposition in the future,” Syed Saddiq told FMT.

DISYORKAN UNTUK ANDA :

Yesterday, Ahmad proposed that opposition MPs be allocated RM100,000 with conditions set for its usage.

He said the mechanism and sum are the same as when he was in the opposition bloc during the Pakatan Harapan administration led by Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

During the PH administration from 2018 to 2020, government MPs could apply for up to RM3.5 million annually, while the allocation for opposition MPs was capped at RM100,000. This disparity continued under Perikatan Nasional.

Deputy prime minister Fadillah Yusof said allocations are not given specifically to the MPs themselves but for the development of their respective areas.

Machang MP Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal said Ahmad’s proposal would only destroy his and BN’s credibility as the public currently wants justice-based politics.

“If accepted by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, it would show the hypocrisy of Anwar and PH’s reform agenda and manifesto because they collude with the anti-reform Barisan Nasional,” he said.

Pasir Mas MP Ahmad Fadhli Shaari sarcastically remarked that the proposal was “brilliant”.

“No wonder he (Ahmad) wasn’t appointed a full minister, always sitting in the deputy minister’s chair from then until now,” he quipped.