PKR MP files private member's bill on constituency allocations

PKR's Alor Setar MP Gooi Hsiao Leung will file a motion in Parliament to introduce a private member's bill to regulate federal constituency allocations.

He said the bill is to ensure a fair, transparent and accountable way of regulating federal allocations.

Highlights of the “Constituency Development Fund Bill 2017” include the creation of a constituency development fund which shall be coordinated by the Federal Development Office of each state, Gooi told Malaysiakini.

All projects undertaken must be community-based and no funds shall be used for the purpose of supporting political parties and political activities.

The bill proposed that there shall be a formal constituency committee set up in each constituency to be chaired by the sitting MP to deliberate on all projects in the constituency.

The MP shall be assisted by the constituency district office and an officer seconded from the state Federal Development Office.

Gooi said he was compelled to introduce the bill following Kedah Menteri Besar Ahmad Bashah Hanipah's recent statement on constituency allocations.

Ahmad Bashah had said voters in five parliamentary seats won by the Kedah opposition had lost out on development as federal allocations (of RM150mil) could not be channeled to those constituencies.

Gooi had then described the move as "blackmailing of voters” and “utterly disgusting”.

When pressed to account for the RM23.73million disbursed in Alor Setar from PM’s special constituency allocation for MPs, Ahmad Bashah retorted that only BN MPs would have access to the funds, Gooi recalled.

Gooi said it is a known fact that federal allocations for constituencies in opposition won seats are channeled through BN coordinators.

These are usually channelled to the Umno division chief of the constituency, he added.

Ahmad Bashah is the Umno division chief of Alor Setar, assemblyperson for Bakar Bata, a state seat within Gooi’s parliamentary constituency.

“I have no doubt that as the MB, who chairs the meetings of the state action council that coordinates the use of federal funds, he has great influence on how my constituency's allocation would be spent," Gooi said.

Tax payers' right to know

Gooi noted that the PM’s annual special allocation for each constituency is RM5 million a year, or RM1.1 billion for 222 parliamentary constituencies nationwide.

He said taxpayers have a right to know how and if their federal allocations have been properly spent in their constituencies.

"It is a known fact that the PM’s special constituency allocation has long been misused and abused by politicians to buy political support and allegiance.

“For greedy politicians to siphon off public funds to enrich themselves or their cronies – resulting in poor project selections which do not ultimately benefit their constituents," Gooi claimed.

With proper legislation, federal constituency allocations can be fairly and effectively used to address rural poverty, local infrastructure problems and specific needs of the electorate in every constituency, he said.

Other details in the bill include ensuring that the constituency committee include the representation of women, youth, person with disability and NGOs.

This is to ensure development needs of a wide cross section of residents in a constituency will be addressed, Gooi said.

He said public forums will be convened twice yearly to receive feedback and recommendations on the implementation of the fund.

“Most importantly, the bill proposed that a parliamentary select committee with proportional political parties representation, which reports to Parliament, will be established to oversee the implementation of the fund, review the policy framework and propose amendments.

“Other safeguards to ensure accountability are provisions requiring the fund to be audited and reported on by the auditor-general and for the minister in charge to make reports to the select committee on the use of the fund,” he said.- Mkini