More funds for BN MPs once fiscal position stable, says Zuraida

Putrajaya can only commit to an equal allocation for the opposition lawmakers once the government's fiscal position is stabilised, Housing and Local Government Minister Zuraida Kamaruddin said today.

"We can commit that amount once we stabilise and get more information on the position of the government's coffers," she told Malaysiakini in a text message.

"We ourselves (ruling government lawmakers) will also be subject to cuts if the situation is very bad," Zuraida said, referring to the 10percent cut in cabinet ministers' basic salaries announced last week.

Zuraida was responding to criticisms rained on Harapan government for discriminating against the opposition by giving them an annual allocation of only RM100,000 while constituencies won by the ruling parties will receive RM500,000 each.

Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad also announced that RM200,000 would be allocated for each MP's service centres. However, it is unclear if this includes seats held by opposition lawmakers as well.

In response to this, pro-reform NGO Engage said all lawmakers should be accorded the same treatment befitting their office, regardless of which political party they belong to, while MCA deputy president and Ayer Hitam MP Wee Ka Siong claimed that this had contradicted to the equal allocation promise made by Pakatan Harapan.

In 2015, BN parliamentarians were allocated RM5 million each for their constituencies - up from RM1 million annually - while opposition MPs were not given any allocation at all.

"Wee should be thankful because during the BN days, they got RM5 million and we got nothing at all," noted Zuraida, who is also Harapan Wanita chief.

"Does Wee not need the funding to serve his constituents? Perhaps MCA has very big, deep pockets that Wee doesn't need funds and MCA can manage with their big money chest," she quipped. -Mkini