Allamah, politic is still money; without money there is no politic. No money no talk, what the old people said is right... No allocation for MP, how you expect them to work?
But the issue of MP allocation is not that straight forward; there were budget for national development. There must be annual budget for MP allocation in federal government budget. The ruling party MP received allocation, then what happen to MP allocation to opposition MPs?
Something is not proper; no allocation from the federal government budget for opposition MPs? This is no longer a state issue, or personal issue; it is a national issue. Why no allocation for opposition MPs, they are appointed under constitution after the election by the people...this is the question we need to ask?. Why? is it any legal ground to prohibit or block allocation to opposition MPs?
Recently MP from Nibong Tebal hit out at the Penang state government for not having allocation from the state government to Pakatan Rakyat MPs. The deputy Chief Minister Prof Ramasamy was worried about the MACC, as there was no allocation from the state for MPs, even DAP MPs. So what is actually happen? legally.....
Who will give financial allocation for MPs? state or federal government, irrespective of the parties, ruling or opposition?
From the democracy point of view; the federal government after forming the federal government, it is the government for the people and the nation. This is regardless of supporters of opposition or ruling parties. Politic games is over after formation of the federal government. As an ordinary citizen, I wonder can a federal government block any allocation to the MPs or parliament constituency represented by opposition. Allocation must be fair for each MPs. There must be an annual budget for MP allocation from federal treasury.
Now the issue is, can the MP asked for state allocation; did the state legally allow to give allocation to MPs in their state?
I hope constitution lawyer should highlight to us the actual legal background on MP allocation, who should give the allocation? the federal or the state?. Do not expect the opposition to work without allocation, that is against the principle of democracy. If this is allow, can the state tax and zakat from Penang, be allocated to give their MP the allocation?
Taxpayers have a right to know the actual amount of MP allocation and whether there is sharing of the funds among state constituencies within the same parliamentary constituency. The Taxpayer has the right to know how the allocation is used. The KPI of the MPs should included the disclosure of their MP allocation. I wonder did Tan Sri Koh Tsu Koon included that KPI for the MPs? to disclosure their usage of MP allocation. The MP allocation should be used for the people, the project benefit the people; if any allocation use for politic purpose, it is misuse of the fund, an act of corruption. A yearly account of the MP allocation should be disclosed to the public, for the people that voted him to check his performance and accountability. May be there should be an independent statutory audit for MP allocation annually....ya,I remember one YB give to unregistered association..? is there any guideline for distribution of allocation?. May be public hearing like SELCAT should include in KPI assessment by every states.
SELCAT Public Hearing
The first Public Hearing by the Select Committee on Competency, Accountability & Transparency (SELCAT) of the Selangor State Legislative Assembly is being conducted from March 23rd - 31st 2009.
Among the issues that will be investigated and heard in this session is the conduct of BALKIS (Wives of Selangor Assemblymen and MPs Welfare and Charity Organisation) and other cases of mismanagement of funds. Notable witnesses that have been summoned to appear before the committee are the former MB, Dato' Seri Dr. Mohamed Khir Bin Toyo; his wife as President of BALKIS, Datin Seri Zahrah Kechik; and other state officials.
The entire proceedings are being broadcast live online for public's viewing at http://multimedia.selangor.gov.my/.
Where are my MP grant and how are they spent?
Annoyed MP for Kuching, Chong Chieng Jen asked this afternoon in a press conference. Chong who has no idea where his MP annual grant went to since 2004 until 2007 wrote to the Sarawak State Development office, Implementation coordination unit, Prime Minister department demanding answers within a month or he will take a much more drastic actions. Saying that his MP fund under Special Development Fund for the year 2008 was a classical case of abuse, Chong said he managed to get the list of where his money was spend last year and most of them was not used for Bandar Kuching but elsewhere.(http://sarawakupdate.com.my/blog/2009/09/04/where-are-my-mp-grant)
No allocation from the state
Outspoken Nibong Tebal MP Tan Tee Beng told the Star on 1-2-2010;
“In Penang, PKR is like an opposition party. We MPs have no allocation and the state is not helping us at all.
“In Selangor, the ruling party is PKR but all Pakatan MPs get a RM100,000 allocation for their constituency and RM50,000 for office expenses from the state government. In Penang, nothing ... zero,” Tan told a press conference yesterday.
He claimed that all seven DAP MPs, excluding Bukit Gelugor MP Karpal Singh who has his own funds as national chairman, received some forms of allocation from the state by being in charge of the state’s education funds, having access to the facilities of the Chief Minister’s office or for holding state executive posts.
The views from fellow MPs of Pakatan Rakyat ruled state
2-2-2010 The Star
Several PKR lawmakers are rallying behind their Nibong Tebal colleague Tan Tee Beng who has hit out at the Penang Government for not giving financial assistance to Pakatan Rakyat MPs.
Kelana Jaya MP Loh Gwo-Burne said the Penang Government should emulate governments in Selangor and Kelantan and provide allocations.
“I know how difficult it is to serve the constituency without financial support. The Federal Government does not channel parliamentary constituency funds to Pakatan MPs.
“We only breathed easy last year after the Selangor Government provided an annual allocation of RM150,000 to each Pakatan MP,” he said.
“Penang should not give the excuse that it is only getting a small budget from the Federal Government.
“Kelantan is getting even less from the Federal Government, yet the state government can still take care of the Pakatan Rakyat MPs’ needs,” said Loh.
State not allowed to give MP allocation
1-2-2010 The Star
In response, the Penang state government stated that it is not allowed to give any allocation to Members of Parliament (MPs) and if it does so, it would be in trouble with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC). Deputy Chief Minister II (DCM II) Dr P. Ramasamy said the state only gives allocations to assemblymen. “I receive an allocation from the state in my capacity as DCM II and as Prai assemblyman, but no allocation is given to me as Batu Kawan MP.”
It is time to have shadow cabinet recognize?, it is time to have allocation for the opposition? it is time to have their MP allocation?....
The video show that there are needy people around the state; the CAT has no money, they are waiting for fund, it just did not come. Are they more needy than the MP?
I am really fed up of the politic, and politician. They make up all the fuss in the country. What is the point of election, sometime I ask myself. Good man does not enter politic, so look at the elected representative, is the quality of their soft skills lacking? No coordination, no communication even within the party and coalition. Not only that they are selfish, they are greedy, they misuse the allocation, they.....alah, it is too long to continue... the needy people are lack of allocation, not only MP....even MP has received allocation, the allocation don't reach the needy people, these people are still waiting, much much longer than the MP....so what is the fuss? YB?...
I feel like not listening to them(politician) anymore....But looking back, there are still some good politician...may be tomorrow I am going to stop reading any Malaysian news.... it will be more peaceful. Fed up.
Related articles
1. Where are my MP grant?, http://sarawakupdate.com.my/blog/2009/09/04/where-are-my-mp-grant
2. Nibong Tebal’s Tan defends Zahrain, labels CM leader without class, http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/2/1/nation/5588288&sec=nation
3. United Kingdom Parliamentary expenses scandal, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom_Parliamentary_expenses_scandal
4. SELCAT public hearing, http://multimedia.selangor.gov.my/.
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