KUALA LUMPUR – Special Functions Minister Datuk Abdul Latiff Ahmad made himself an example of how a lawmaker should be thankful for the annual allocation provided to their constituencies without kicking up a fuss.
This is after several opposition MPs bemoaned the government’s reluctance to provide equal allocation to all lawmakers, regardless of political affiliation.
“Back then when I was sitting on that (opposition) bench, Seremban (Anthony Loke Siew Fook) used to sit here. Seremban used to receive a lot too,” he said during his ministry’s winding-up of the royal address in Parliament today.
“I only got RM100,000, but I was thankful. I never complained, unlike Pokok Sena (Datuk Mahfuz Omar).”
Latiff, who was originally an Umno member, temporarily became an opposition lawmaker after Pakatan Harapan (PH) won the 14th general election in May 2018.
He quit Umno in December that year, before joining then-PH component Bersatu in February 2019.
He later joined other Bersatu MPs in leaving PH and forming the Perikatan Nasional government the following year.
Mahfuz had earlier argued that it is unfair to require MPs to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in order to qualify them for the equal amount of allocation as their government peers, as currently given to PH representatives.
“There must be fairness. You can’t force people to sign the MoU to get the funds. I support my friends, particularly those from Sabah. You should not be pressuring them with the MoU,” he said.
Loke, meanwhile, urged the government to enact a new Constituency Development Fund Act, which would make equal funding part of the law.
Currently, government MPs are understood to get an annual allocation of RM3.5 million for their constituencies, which was later extended to PH after the signing of the historic MoU in September last year.
However, other opposition lawmakers continue to only receive RM100,000 per year, including those from Pejuang, Muda, and Warisan.
Latiff said the fact that a huge amount of allocation was given to the opposition at all shows that there has been improvement on the government’s part.
“There is evolution. Previously, none were given (to the opposition) at all, under the fourth prime minister. Under the fifth and sixth prime ministers, there was a little. But now, a lot has changed, and this is something dynamic.”
He added that while some may deem it unfair that several opposition MPs are not getting enough funds, it is the sole prerogative of the giver to decide the amount.
On the proposal for a specific act to regulate the matter, Latiff said that in principle, he has no issue with the suggestion and gave his commitment to raise the matter in the next cabinet meeting. – The Vibes, March 17, 2022
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