Get help from chief whips if no allocation received, minister tells MPs

 

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Sabah, Sarawak Affairs and Special Functions) Armizan Mohd Ali clarified that only lawmakers who have yet to receive their allocation for their constituencies should approach their respective chief whips about the matter.

He said some may have been confused by his previous statement regarding applying for allocation and assumed that every application must go through their party’s chief whip.

“I did not say that every application must go through the chief whips.

“What I meant was that those who have yet to get it can use their party whips to discuss with the government leadership because as we know, we do not have the Parliamentary Services Act yet.

“If we have that act, all our problems would be resolved and there would be no need to apply or request, but as of now, it is still at the discretion of the person holding the allocation (the prime minister).

“So when we ask for his discretion, we have to negotiate,” Armizan said in the Dewan Rakyat today during his wrapping-up speech for the debates on the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s address.

It was previously reported that opposition MPs must go through their party’s chief whips to apply for allocation for their constituencies.

Armizan (above) also said in the Dewan Rakyat today that hopefully, the country’s fiscal problems can be resolved in the next few months so that allocations can be channelled to all parliamentarians regardless of their political affiliations.

“Let us pray together for the MPs’ allocations to not only be given but also increased.

“The pre-condition is that we have to ensure the government is stable. When the government is stable, then we can manage the country’s finances better, and then allocations can flow to the lawmakers,” he added.

Armizan added that even if some parliamentarians have yet to receive the special allocation from the prime minister, they can apply for other allocations under existing programmes throughout the ministries.

On a separate matter regarding disaster management, Armizan said the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma) has been instructed to include all MPs and state assemblypersons in the disaster management committees at the state and district level.

“This is to ensure that in matters dealing with the rakyat’s welfare and disaster management, we do not see political (affiliations) and such,” he said. - Mkini