MPs question Shahrizat's extra half-a-billion ringgit request

Harakahdaily

KUALA LUMPUR, Jun 23: Several Pakatan Rakyat members of parliament have questioned the additional budget of RM459 million requested by the ministry of Women, Family and Community Development headed by Shahrizat Abdul Jalil, saying it was to fund UMNO's election campaign. JUST A BIT MORE PLEASE ... Shahrizat's ministry wants MPs to agree to an additional budget of RM459 million PAS Rantau Panjang member of parliament Siti Zailah Mohd Yusoh said it was irrelevant to fork out the additional funds as the recent National Key Results Area report indicated a reduction in the number of poor families requiring welfare assistance, which comes under the ministry's purview. “If (welfare) recipients have been reduced, shouldn't the allocation also be reduced? Strangely, this ministry asks for an additional budget of RM459 million, on pretext of helping the poor. This is clearly UMNO’s budget to face the coming election, and I strongly believe that this arrangement is made by UMNO Wanita to meet the people,” she said at the parliament lobby yesterday. Shahrizat, the former Lembah Pantai MP who was defeated by Nurul Izzah Anwar in 2008, is also Wanita UMNO head. L-R: Zailah, Zuraida and Mariah PKR's Ampang MP Zuraida Kamaruddin meanwhile asked Shahrizat to re-examine the total allocation needed, and pointed out that the ministry had no long term plan to address socio-economic problems. “The allocation amounting to RM459 million shows a sharp increase of 87 percent from the original budget requested in 2011, which together will bring the total sum to RM1 billion for five ‘one-off’ categories in 2001. "What’s worse, it's only for the next five months, August to December 2011. It also shows that the cost has risen approximately to RM92 million,” added Zuraida, who is also Wanita PKR chief. According to PAS's Kota Raja MP Dr Siti Mariah, the RM459 million could mean RM2.07 million for each of the 222 parliamentary constituencies and can be channelled to 10,350 poor families, the disabled and the elderly. “Shahrizat should be aware that the RM459 million involves public funds, hence a proper financial system should be established and the habit to implement projects at the last minute should stop,” she said.