No funds for Opposition MPs
(The Star) – Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has shot down a request that the Federal Government extend development funds to Opposition MPs.
The Deputy Prime Minister said the funds were only meant for small projects in Barisan Nasional MP’s constituencies.
“They use it to finance small projects, like roads.
“It is only allocated to Government MPs … the Barisan MPs,” he said in a press conference after opening the 36th annual general conference of the Peninsular Malaysia Federation of Penghulu and Penggawa here yesterday.
He said providing the funds to Barisan MPs had been a practice of the Federal Government and there was no intention to extend it to Opposition MPs.
Muhyiddin was responding to a request from Selangor Exco Dr Yaakob Safari that the allocation be given to Opposition MPs as well.
Dr Yaakob, who was representing Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim at the function, said Opposition MPs should also enjoy the allocation as they were elected by the people.
“I would like to ask the Deputy Prime Minister to bring this matter to the attention of the Prime Minister’s Office.
“The Federal Government should be fair in its treatment including extending the allocation to all states ruled by Pakatan Rakyat,” he said when reading Khalid’s speech.
At this juncture, the delegates, numbering about 300, started to jeer Dr Yaakob.
He however continued reading from his text which criticised the Federal Government including the formation of the village security and development committee.
Muhyiddin said the Federal Government continued to channel development allocations to states that it lost in the 2008 General Election.
“Selangor, for example, though it is already a developed state, the Federal Government still provides allocations.
“That is why we have Datuk Ghani (Salleh, Federal Secretary in Selangor) here to ensure the money is spent properly.
“The important thing is the rakyat benefits from the funds.
“If we channel it to the Mentri Besar, I wonder how he would spend it,” Muhyiddin said.
