Ahmad Johnie Zawawi
KUCHING (Feb 3): Igan Member of Parliament (MP) Ahmad Johnie Zawawi said the reduced allocation for parliamentary constituency development to only RM1.3 million will not be enough to finance programmes and activities for various community-based and education organisations in his constituency.
“My MP allocation is to be given to the JKKK (village security and development committee), PIBG (parents and teachers association), associations, clubs and other organisations registered in the parliamentary constituency.
“The fund is meant for them to hold various programmes and activities,” The Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) lawmaker said when contacted today.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has confirmed that the development allowance for MPs has been reduced to RM1.3 million from RM3.8 million.
Anwar said this move was meant to better control the country’s finances and would be implemented in stages.
“This allowance is the development allocations of MPs coordinated by the District and Land Office, and State Development Officer, (being reduced) due to economic constraints.
“It will be done in stages. This will set an early example, meaning MPs don’t mind the cut although they are not personal contributions but are development allocations,” he told reporters at a function in Port Dickson earlier today.
Before this, MPs from Peninsular Malaysia were granted RM3.5 million allocations and RM300,000 for service centre operations, while their counterparts from Sabah and Sarawak received RM4 million allocations and RM300,000 for service centre operations.
Ahmad feared that the reduced allocation would make it difficult for the elected representatives to channel sufficient funds to the ground.
He said this is especially so when one parliamentary constituency comprises at least two state constituencies, with some of them having three state constituencies.
“As the Igan MP, I help a lot of schools in my area by giving the allocation to the respective PIBG to organise various programmes and activities.
“I focus on schools in the hope of seeing more co-curricular activities or programmes to be held to benefit our students,” he said.
As such, Ahmad hoped that the unity government would reconsider its decision on the allocation cut.