YOURSAY | Alas, Zahid is right about this

 

YOURSAY | ‘Why can't allocations be standardised and distributed equitably to all constituencies?’

Zahid 'thanks' govt for giving Umno reps same annual allocation as opposition

We have it worse than you, opposition MPs tell Zahid

BusinessFirst: So much for the king's exhortation for all to come together and support the budget because of Covid-19.

How is it giving opposition MPs zero (some Umno MPs RM100,000) and Perikatan Nasional (PN) MPs (and presumably also PAS MPs) RM3.7 million bring the people together escapes me.

How then can we trust a government that says things like “unity”, “we will help all Malaysians”, “we will not abuse the emergency”, and yet often, their actions fall far short of their promises, if they are even kept at all?

I would point out that as part of the emergency, a bipartisan committee is supposed to be formed. Has it been established? Who are its members? What are the terms of reference? Have they even met?

YellowTiger1314: The PM keeps saying he is concentrating on fighting the pandemic and doesn’t have time to think about politics and tell all other politicians to do the same.

If he is not politicking, then I think all MPs deserve the same allocation. This is one big evidence that all he cares about is politics and not the rakyat’s welfare.

Newday: I agree with Zahid (My God, what is wrong with me?) and also with DAP. This was a good initiative during the Pakatan Harapan government which gave federal allocations to all parties - not equitably, but they did spread the ‘love’, so to speak.

As for RM3.7 million per Bersatu MPs, and I assume PAS MPs, this is so severely lopsided. It can only be meant for one thing - to pursue the political agenda of both parties and leave the rest out in the cold.

This begs the question of how these allocations were described in the Budget 2021 as from memory (I could be wrong), there were no objections raised at that time of the budget debates. It seems like that would have been the time to object and negotiate, not after the fact.

While everyone else starves, Bersatu and PAS get ‘fat’ off the rest of us. Fairness for all as you vigorously promote, Mr PM? I don’t expect an answer. You do specialise in silence when it comes to this sort of unholy bias.

J Ramiah: Harapan missed the opportunity to reform the allocations during its 22 months reign. Now stop being cry babies. Shame on you.

Annonnymous 080: The issue of parliamentary allocations should be resolved once and for all. It can’t be at the discretion of the PM or his cronies.

All constituencies should be allocated a minimum sum of RM5 million, with office rental, staff wages, utilities being paid separately. Where it covers large areas, a huge number of voters and difficult terrains more should be provided.

LimeSinga1592: Why can't the allocations be standardised and distributed equitably to all constituencies by law?

You can't allow politicians to determine that. Surely, they would allocate in a way that would give the public an impression that they better be on the winning party side. This is the most ridiculous way of distribution.

There should be reform in this. They (the politicians) can determine how, what, where and when it is spent from a standardised amount given to all of them so that the rakyat can judge and hold them accountable.

Hmmmmmmmm: I think we should have a policy whereby at least half of taxpayers’ money from every constituency goes to the development of that constituency.

The balance can be used to develop poorer areas of the constituency. This will stop the nonsense of opposition MPs getting zero allocation.

Gabbar Singh: Zahid, you had held so many government positions when your political party ruled for more than 50 years.

How much in allocations did you give the opposition? What goes around comes around. Now you know how it feels when the opposition cannot help their constituents with the bare allocations granted to them.

"I will receive RM100,000 in allocation for 2021 while other government MPs get RM3.7 million ...," Zahid said.

I am sure the allocations that you once received (during BN’s rule) were definitely more than RM100,000 - probably in the millions as opposed to the well-known fact that the opposition received pittance or practically nothing during that period.

Yet you have the cheek to sarcastically say, "I think this is enough for Bagan Datuk, the most-backwards area in Perak, to get RM100,000".

Despite the positions that you held, you could not even help the constituents of Bagan Datuk. What have you to show for as a leader of your own race with respect to your constituency by your own admission?

Let me remind you of the one peribahasa that I as a non-Malay learned from Sekolah Kebangsaan: "Tak tahu menari jangan kata lantai berjongkang jonkit" (figuratively - a bad workman often blames his tools).

Malaysia Is Surrealist Art That Can Be Bought: Zahid has probably never dealt with monies any less than RM400,000, that is, the average price of one of his watches.

His sardonic statements of late have been rather entertaining. However, I would like to point out to the man that he has been the MP of Bagan Datuk since 1995 - that would mean a grand total of 25 years.

Thus, to call it "the most backwards of areas in Perak" makes us wonder what he has been doing over the last quarter of a decade as Bagan Datuk's irreplaceable representative.

Perhaps, he could make Bagan Datuk great again by selling any one of his watches - just one. The folks would surely be grateful for another 25 years. - Mkini