Klang MP V Ganabatirau has called for reforms to the country’s constituency funding system, arguing that access to allocations should be a democratic right for all elected representatives rather than a political privilege.
In a statement today, Ganabatirau (above) said every MP entrusted with a mandate by voters should be provided with adequate resources to serve their constituents, regardless of whether they sit on the government or opposition benches.
"As the MP for Klang, I was elected by the people to represent their interests, address their concerns, and deliver assistance to those in need.
"That responsibility does not change based on whether an MP sits on the government or opposition benches," said the DAP lawmaker.
On June 3, Petaling Jaya MP Lee Chean Chung claimed to be the second PKR lawmaker to lose access to the MyKhas online portal, which is used to manage constituency development allocations, among others.
In a statement, Lee alleged that his office has been unable to access the portal since May 29, after an earlier restriction against Subang MP Wong Chen, adding that he decided to announce the matter publicly to prevent public uncertainty.
Political affiliation vs public needs
Ganabatirau said federal constituency allocations continued to be subjected to political discretion, resulting in access to development funds and constituency resources being influenced by political affiliation rather than public needs.
"Public funds belong to the people and must never be used as a political instrument. When an elected representative is denied adequate resources to serve his or her constituency, it is ultimately the people who suffer," he added.
MyKhas is operated by the Implementation Coordination Unit (ICU) under the Prime Minister’s Department (PMD).
On June 4, over a week after Wong urged clarification, the ICU, in a brief statement, said it had noted the issue and reassured that all related funds would be “directly channelled” to the constituents.
Ganabatirau further proposed several reforms, including guaranteeing constituency allocations and administrative support for MPs as a matter of right, establishing a transparent legal framework to govern allocations, and determining funding based on objective criteria such as population size, constituency needs, geographical challenges and socio-economic conditions.
He also called for the creation of an independent mechanism to administer constituency funding, free from executive discretion and political influence.
Empowering reps to serve constituents
Ganabatirau pointed to examples in Selangor and Perak, where elected opposition representatives receive allocations from their respective state governments.
"The Selangor government has consistently provided allocations to opposition assemblypersons, recognising that every constituency deserves support regardless of political affiliation.
"Likewise, the Perak government has implemented a model that provides allocations to all assemblypersons irrespective of party affiliation," he said.
According to Ganabatirau, such examples demonstrate that democratic governance is strengthened when elected representatives are empowered to serve their constituents fairly.
"Democracy cannot flourish when citizens are treated differently because of the way they voted. The rakyat deserve a system that places public interest above political expediency," he added. - Mkini
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