Chong asks why as MP he was not invited to hand out BR1M vouchers

2

NEW YEAR, NEW HOPE: Chong (second left) with (from left) Wong, Yong, Chiew, Dr Tang and Mordi pose for the camera during the CNY gathering.

KUCHING: DAP national vice-chairman Chong Chieng Jen wants Barisan Nasional (BN) leaders to explain why he as a member of parliament for Bandar Kuching was not invited to hand out BR1M vouchers to recipients in the constituency.

“I am the elected representative, why can’t I distribute the RM500 to recipients in Bandar Kuching?

“Are they trying to say that DAP MPs are second class? Was I not elected by the people?”

Chong, who is DAP state secretary and Kota Sentosa assemblyman, raised these questions during a Chinese New Year (CNY) gathering jointly organised by DAP branches at the party’s headquarters here Sunday night. Last week, Minister of Local Government and Community Development Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh was the invited guest to dole out the RM500 BR1M to eligible individuals in Bandar Kuching.

The ceremony took place at the civic centre here. Wong is Bawang Assan assemblyman and Second Finance Minister.

Chong said he was not against the BN government giving out monetary aid to the people but regretted the problems some applicants had to go through.

Citing an incident, he said an applicant had lamented that she needed to apply for unpaid leave in order to get the assistance.

“She said the unpaid leave cost her RM100 per day. The first day she went, she was told her application had been rejected and then she had to appeal, which required her to come back the next day.”

According to Chong, the Singaporean government pledged US$600 (over RM1,800) to every Singaporean aged 21 and above while in Hong Kong and Macau, the governments offered US$700 (over RM2,100) and US$875 (over RM2,600) to every citizen aged 18 and above, all on an annual basis.

“These governments do not require their citizens to fill out forms and queue up to get the money. All the citizens, not just eligible households get the assistance.

“Making it more interesting is that these three governments are making a surplus every year and capable of offering the assistance for their people, whereas in Malaysia, the federal government has recorded a rising deficit in the last 15 years.”

As at end of last year, he said, the federal government registered a deficit of RM440 billion.

He felt that the BN government owed an explanation to every Malaysian, many of whom had to struggle to make ends meet.

DAP state treasurer Violet Yong, Padungan assemblyman Wong King Wei, Batu Kawah assemblywoman Christina Chiew and Chong’s personal assistants Dr Tang Sie Hing and Mordi Bimol also spoke at the gathering.