Selangor: Covid-19 funds go to Harapan coordinators in opposition seats, not reps

CORONAVIRUS | Covid-19 allocations will not go directly to nine Selangor opposition assemblypersons but instead, be handled by chosen Pakatan Harapan representatives.

Following criticism over the move, Selangor Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari’s political secretary Borhan Aman Shah issued a clarification last night.

“The MB previously announced the Selangor Prihatin Covid-19 package and one of the initiatives is a boost allocation for the Mesra Rakyat programme from RM20,000 to RM30,000.

“This is being done in all 56 constituencies in Selangor.

“For opposition constituencies, the allocations will be handled either by a constituency coordinator who has been chosen by the state government or a temporary coordinator who can be an MP, state exco or an assemblyperson whose area is close by,” he said.

“This has been the state government’s practice since a long time ago, it is not the first time,” Borhan added.

Selangor opposition leader Rizam Ismail previously cried foul and accused the state government of “politicising” the funds when it ought to be working with all to overcome the virus.

Borhan denied Rizam’s accusation and reiterated that the state’s Covid-19 measures will be implemented through coordinators in opposition-held seats.

The opposition representatives in the state are Rizam (Sungai Air Tawar) and his BN-Umno colleagues Mohd Imran Tamrin (Sungai Panjang), Rosni Sohar (Hulu Bernam), Mohd Shamsudin Lias (Sungai Burong) and Zakaria Hanafi (Semenyih).

Also not receiving the allocations directly are PAS’ Ahmad Yunus Hairi (Sijangkang) and Bersatu’s Abdul Rashid Asari (Selat Kelang) as well as the party’s new recruits Azmin Ali (Bukit Antarabangsa) and Hilman Idham (Gombak Setia).

Amirudin was quoted in Free Malaysia Today as saying that Harapan coordinators had already been determined for Hulu Bernam and Sungai Panjang.

The rest will be handled by temporary coordinators:

Sungai Air Tawar - Sabak assemblyperson Ahmad Mustain Othman

Sungai Burong - Permatang assemblyperson Rozana Zainal Abidin

Semenyih - Hulu Langat MP Hasanuddin Mohd Yunus

Sijangkang - Kuala Langat MP Dr Xavier Jayakumar

Selat Kelang - Kapar MP Abdullah Sani Abdul Hamid

Bukit Antarabangsa - Lembah Jaya assemblyperson Haniza Mohamed Talha

Gombak Setia - Amirudin’s Sungai Tua office

The report also stated that the four Bersatu assemblypersons who support Amirudin’s government will be receiving the RM30,000 directly. 

They are Sallehuddin Amiruddin (Kuang), Mohd Shaid Rosli (Jeram), Harumaini Omar (Batang Kali) and Adhif Syan Abdullah (Dengkil).

Harapan MPs previously cried foul after their allocations were pulled by the Perikatan Nasional federal government.

Among them were Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman (Muar), Fahmi Fadzil (Lembah Pantai), Akmal Nasrullah Nasir (Johor Bahru) and Dr Mahathir Mohamad (Langkawi). - Mkini