Bersih wants Pakatan Harapan to explain reduced allocation to opposition MPs

PETALING JAYA: The Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih 2.0) wants the Pakatan Harapan government to explain the rationale behind the difference in allocations between government and opposition MPs.

It said that such allocations are important for the development of the constituency, and that voters should not be punished or discriminated against for exercising their right to vote and for choosing their preferred candidates.

It added that such unequal allocation will also unjustly affect the voters in these constituencies that have voted for the ruling parties in GE14.

"As a multiparty democracy where Parliament is made up of more than one coalition/party, it is essential that all elected representatives receive their fair allocation, given that the opposition is made up of more than just Barisan Nasional, such as PAS, STAR in Sabah and elected independent candidates," Bersih 2.0 said in a statement on Thursday (June 7).

Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad had announced a sum of RM500,000 for Pakatan Harapan Members of Parliament (MPs), while opposition MPs receive an allocation of RM100,000.

Bersih 2.0 said a more pertinent issue to raise is how these allocations have been used in the past by BN MPs and the accountability of it.

"Are these funds really spent on the people in need in the constituencies, or have they been abused for personal or political gains?" it said.

Bersih 2.0 also called on the government to come out with guidelines to ensure that the spending of this allocated sum must be audited through a transparent process and the audited accounts must be made public for the sake of accountability.

"This should be enforced for all MPs across the board in making sure that the people in the constituencies benefit from this allocation," it said.

Meanwhile, Rembau MP Khairy Jamaluddin thanked Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohammad for the RM100,000 allocation given to non-Pakatan MPs.

"We may not have received the same amount as our colleagues from Pakatan, but they have done better than us as there were no such allocations for the opposition when we were in power," he said adding that he hopes that other Barisan representatives will be given the same amount.

Khairy added that in the spirit of New Malaysia, the people should not be punished for their choices.

"The Government can even implement strict conditions including monitoring and auditing systems in place to ensure there is no wastage of such allocations," he said.