KUALA LUMPUR: A law that that ensures equal allocations for government and Opposition MPs should be institutionalised, says Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman.
The Muar MP said the allocations were not for the personal use of the MPs, but instead to help constituents.
“The allocations will be for the people or schools that need to be developed. The money does not come to us. Let’s not punish constituents for their political choices,” he told a press conference in Parliament on Monday (Sept 18).
Syed Saddiq said the government should also treat the Opposition the way they wished to be treated as Opposition MPs.
“That’s how we build a more mature Malaysia,” he added.
The Muda president added that present government MPs should take a look in the mirror following calls that he should vacate his parliamentary seat.
“They were voted in over their platform of integrity and fighting corruption. If they dare, return the mandate to the people,” he said.
In March, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim told the Dewan Rakyat that he wasn’t against proposals to give the same funding enjoyed by backbencher MPs to the Opposition.
However, Anwar said there has to be a discussion between the Opposition and the government.
He also suggested the chief whips and relevant ministers negotiate and decide.
"The faster we solve this, we can approve this by tomorrow or the day after,” said Anwar during Prime Minister Question Time in Parliament on March 7.
During the administration of former prime minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob in 2021, the government had given an equal allocation for elected reps from both blocs under the Prime Minister’s Special Allocation.
