SERIAN: Twenty-eight non-governmental organisations, village security and development committees, parent-teacher associations and clubs in the Serian parliamentary constituency received grants totalling RM355,000 yesterday.
This was the second phase of grant presentations, with the first last week involving RM300,000.
Minister of Human Resources Datuk Seri Richard Riot Jaem said as a Barisan Nasional (BN) Member of Parliament, he received outright grants of RM1.5 million a year, while as a minister he had a further RM5 million allocation.
He called on recipients to submit reports of their spending to his office — a mandatory requirement of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MCMC) to ensure grants are put to good use.
“Needless to say, you are to spend the funds given you for meaningful purposes and these must be shown in your report to me,” he said at the presentation ceremony.
He said BN has shown it is capable of ensuring political stability, an issue many nations are struggling with today.
“My call to you is, you have returned BN to power in the last state election, come the next general election, return BN to power once again because BN has shown that it is a government for all Malaysians,” he added.
He warned that political instability is the breeding ground for extremism, which could cause grief and upheaval, such as in the Middle East.
Meanwhile, Riot thanked Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak for retaining him as minister.
“You could say, Serian is lucky because I am still a minister. Since May 5, 2013 there have been three cabinet reshuffles, and the Right Honourable Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has continued to have confidence in me to remain as a member of his cabinet.
“I wish to thank the Prime Minister for having the confidence in my ability, and the best way to thank him is for me to work hard to show to him that I am worthy of the trust he has in me. Serian must thank the Prime Minister, and the best way you can show him your gratitude is to continue to support his government,” he said.
Riot, who has represented Serian for 26 years, was appointed to the present post on May 15, 2013, after being elected as Serian Member of Parliament for the sixth consecutive term.
He was the first Bidayuh appointed as a full federal minister and previously served as Deputy Foreign Minister.