DAP pushes for equal constituency funding, asks Penang to show Putrajaya the way

 

DAP is pushing ahead with Pakatan Harapan’s pledge for equal constituency allocations, with Penang set to be the first state to implement the reform.

Party secretary-general Anthony Loke said the DAP central executive committee (CEC) today decided to ask the Penang state government to legislate a law guaranteeing all state elected representatives equal funding, regardless of their political affiliation.

"... this is so that the equal distribution of constituency development allocations can be guaranteed by law.

"The CEC believes this same principle should be broadened to the federal level and adopted by all state governments across the country.

"Constituency development funds should be distributed equally regardless of the political background of the areas' elected representative," he said in a statement.

Reforms push

The CEC also resolved to honour the DAP delegates' decision at its national conference last month for the party to remain in the federal government until the current parliamentary term expires.

Loke said they would do this by pursuing reform agendas and seeing through their implementation.

These include separating the roles of the attorney-general and the public prosecutor, and imposing a limit on the prime minister's term.

"Regarding this, the CEC takes the position that these two important reform agendas, which require amendment to the Federal Constitution, should be debated and decided in the upcoming Parliament session in October," he said.

Regarding the next Malacca and Sarawak state elections, Loke said the party would begin preparing to defend all incumbent seats and identify other potential constituencies to contest.

Election promise

The equal funding issue has been a sore point for DAP and its supporters since the Harapan-led federal government refused to fulfil the election promise after it returned to power in 2022.

At present, only government MPs receive the funds, with allocations in opposition-held constituencies handled by government-appointed liaisons. The government has even withdrawn control of funding from PKR MPs who are not toeing the party line.

This limits MPs' ability to serve the constituents who voted them into office, while giving the federal government of the day economic leverage to sway voters.

Last month, DAP national chairperson Gobind Singh again raised the issue, urging Prime Minister and Harapan chairperson Anwar Ibrahim to keep the promise.

Equal funding in Perak, K'tan, but...

So far, only Perak and Kelantan provide equal constituency development funds to both government and opposition elected representatives.

The Perak government implemented equal funding in 2020 under the leadership of Menteri Besar Saarani Mohamad (below), from Umno, while the PAS-led Kelantan administration adopted the policy in 2023.

However, Bersih, while commending the state governments, pointed out that these measures are done through administrative policy instead of being codified as state law.

Meanwhile, the electoral watchdog said unfair allocation practices have been reported in Selangor, Penang, Johor and Pahang, where government assemblypersons receive more funding than their opposition counterparts.

Sarawak represents the most extreme case, with government assemblypersons receiving at least RM8 million in annual allocations, while opposition representatives receive nothing, Bersih said.  - Mkini