Lim: Sabah budget is ‘cronies’ enrichment programme’
(FMT) Chief Minister Musa Aman’s ‘timely’ announcement of a special allocation of RM1 million to each Barisan Nasional representatives in Sabah next year has been described as a “form of political corruption”. DAP stalwart Lim Kit Siang said Musa’s announcement – under the state budget – warrants Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission’s (MACC) attention and investigation.
“It is a political corruption to allocate RM1 million public funds to the BN constituencies alone. It is clearly an election budget to boost the winning chances of BN in the next general election and not for the benefit of the people. It is to be used to buy votes,” Lim charged.
Musa announced the special allocation under the state Budget 2011 on Friday. He said the allocation was to enable BN elected representatives to provide assistance to the people in their areas. The BN holds 57 out of 60 state seats in the state.
His announcement is viewed by many as ‘timely’ since Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak is expected to call for the general election anytime next year. Opposition parties are speculating that Najib will call for the polls anytime between March and Novemebr 2011.
Crony programme
Meanwhile Lim noted that one of the National Key Result Area (NKRA) in the Government Transformation Program (GTP) is fighting corruption and one of the main aspects identified is to fight ‘grand corruption’ which is political corruption.
“The MACC should investigate and wipe out such political corruption to show the government is serious about fighting corruption.
“The Auditor-General too should conduct a special audit on all these (past) years of spending of such allocations by Sabah BN assemblymen and give a detailed audit report on abuses.
