MCA: RM1mil extra constituency allocation must not become political reward

 

AN MCA leader has welcomed the government’s announcement of an additional RM1 mil allocation for every parliamentary constituency, but said the funds must be distributed fairly and without political conditions.

The party’s vice-president Datuk Seri Dr Wee Jeck Seng said the allocation should benefit constituents rather than be used as a reward for MPs who support the government.

“The additional RM1 million is for every parliamentary constituency, so it should not become a situation where only MPs who support the Prime Minister can access the allocation, while those who do not are unable to even access the application system,” he said in a statement.

On Aug 16, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced the additional allocation during his winding-up speech at the 2026 PKR National Congress in Melaka.

Anwar said allocations for parliamentary constituencies had never been reduced and announced an additional RM1 million for each constituency, which he said would go directly to the people.

He said the additional funding was intended to address urgent local needs, including welfare, basic amenities and community issues, more quickly and with less bureaucracy.

Wee, who is also the Tanjung Piai MP, emphasised that political affiliation should have no bearing on whether an elected representative could access funds intended for constituents.

“If the allocation is genuinely intended for the people, political affiliation should have no bearing on whether an elected representative can access it,” he added.

He noted that the issue was particularly important given Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) previous calls for fair and equal constituency allocations when it was in opposition.

The September 2021 Memorandum of Understanding on Transformation and Political Stability between the federal government and PH included a commitment to equal constituency funding for the participating parties.

Anwar, who was then opposition leader, also publicly called for equal allocations even for MPs who had not signed the MoU.

Wee said the principle of equal treatment appeared to have been undermined by subsequent developments under the Anwar administration.

He cited six Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) MPs who declared support for Anwar and subsequently received constituency allocations, while PKR MPs Wong Chen and Lee Chean Chung were later denied access to the MyKhas portal after their involvement in political activities associated with former PKR leader Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli.

Six Bersatu MPs declared support for Anwar between 2023 and 2024, while Wong and Lee, the MPs for Subang and Petaling Jaya respectively, reported losing access to MyKhas in May.

The portal is used to process constituency allocations and Projek Mesra Rakyat applications.

The government has maintained that the restrictions did not affect residents’ access to assistance, with the Implementation Coordination Unit under the Prime Minister’s Department able to process applications directly.

Anwar also said in July that funding remained available for Subang and Petaling Jaya, but would be channelled through the government rather than the two MPs.

Wee said such differences in treatment were inconsistent with the principle that constituency allocations were public resources meant for the people.

“Constituency allocations are public resources and must never become a tool for political reward or punishment,” he stressed.

“They belong to the people and should be administered transparently and fairly, regardless of which party an elected representative belongs to.”

According to Wee, the latest RM1 mil allocation provided the Madani government with an opportunity to demonstrate its commitment to the reform principles it had previously championed.

“If the allocation is truly meant to benefit every constituency, then every elected Member of Parliament must be given equal access to it, without political conditions or discrimination,” he said. ‒  Focus Malaysia