Johor to set up bipartisan 'post-Covid' committee

 

JOHOR DUN | The Johor government will establish a new bipartisan committee to plan “post-Covid-19” economic and social policies.

Menteri Besar Hasni Mohammad told the Johor legislative assembly today that the committee will see participation from the state opposition leader and other opposition lawmakers.

“This initiative is among measures undertaken by the state government to improve working relations between the government and opposition elected representatives.

“It will include special periodic funding for all lawmakers, briefings outside the legislative assembly and reforms for the Johor legislative assembly,” he said, according to Utusan Malaysia.

He said such measures cannot be “one-off” and must be implemented periodically.

He said RM130,000 in government funding was channelled to every state assemblyperson last year, followed by another RM350,000 this year.

Hasni said state funding for lawmakers ought to be institutionalised.

“For instance, if (my colleagues) on the other side become the government again, don’t cut off the special funding. This special funding is for all lawmakers for ‘pro-rakyat’ initiatives in your constituencies,” he said.

Hasni said he was committed to getting feedback from the opposition in future briefing sessions.

The Johor and Perak government are the only ones providing equal funding for state lawmakers to spend on their constituency. - Mkini