Penang MP rapped for asking for allocation while rejecting Budget

KUALA LUMPUR: A Penang Opposition lawmaker was rapped for voting against Budget 2018 yet seeking an allocation for flood mitigation projects.

“Why are you asking for a budget when you voted against it?

“You even went to the extent of calling for a block vote against the Budget on Monday (Nov 13) evening,” Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Dr Shahidan Kassim said when answering a supplementary question during Minister's Question Time in the Dewan Rakyat on Tuesday.

He was responding to Sim Tze Tzin (PKR-Bayan Baru), who suggested that the Federal Government approve contingency funds to help Penang, which was hit by severe floods recently.

Some Barisan Nasional backbenchers were heard shouting “No shame” (tak malu) for demanding more allocation although Sim had opposed Budget 2018.

Sim said the Federal Government had approved RM2bil to help Kelantan and Terengganu after the two states suffered massive floods in late 2014.

Shahidan said the floods in Kelantan and Terengganu affected some 650,000 evacuees, while only 7,680 had registered for aid due the recent flood in Penang.

He added that the National Disaster Management Agency was only involved in rescue, evacuation and relief operations and not the overall budget for the state.

Sim earlier took a swipe at Datuk Shabudin Yahaya (BN-Tasek Gelugor) for attributing the flood in Penang to over-development.

Shahidan, while saying that environmental factors and extreme weather were reasons for the flood, added that over-development was also a factor.