Selangor Barisan reps reject state funds, but voters say otherwise

Selangor Barisan Nasional (BN) assemblymen may have dismissed the Pakatan Rakyat (PR)-led state government's annual allocation of RM200,000 as "insincere", but some of their constituents think otherwise, with a few saying that the funds would have been useful for community programmes.

But having voted for BN candidates in the May 5 general election last year, they were also quick to add that they were not going to press the issue nor were they telling their elected representative what to do.

Heads of resident associations (RA) in some BN constituencies in Selangor told The Malaysian Insider that the allocation, meant for Mesra Rakyat (people-friendly) programmes and constituency work under the Selangor budget for 2015, would be a great advantage in the running of grassroots events.

“RM200,000 for community programmes and projects could do a lot for a constituency," Taman Malawati RA chairman Datuk Dr Yusoff Hassan said in an interview at his home in Taman Melawati, in the Bukit Melawati state seat.

All 12 BN assemblymen in Selangor, however, have rejected the allocation announced by Menteri Besar Mohamed Azmin Ali on Monday, calling it insincere as the amount for them was lower than the RM700,000 to be given directly to PR representatives.

Azmin had said that the total allocated to all Selangor constituencies was the same at RM700,000 but that BN seats would have RM500,000 channelled to the people through state constituency coordinators.

The Selangor government has decided to proceed with disbursing the RM200,000 allocation to each of the BN representatives, despite their rejection of the funds.

This marks the first time in the state's history that the ruling administration is giving funds directly to elected representatives from the political opposition.

Yusoff, who was formerly Sungai Tinggi assemblyman before the seat's boundaries were redrawn and renamed as the Bukit Melawati constituency, said most community programmes could only depend on funds from the municipal council.

If he were an elected representative today, he said, he would accept the offer as the money was meant for the people.

Another community leader, Sharrip Ramli of the Taman Seri Piai RA, agreed with him, noting that there were at least five community programmes held yearly by housing estates in the constituency.

These programmes were for Ramadan and Hari Raya Aidil Fitri celebrations, as well as a family day, a mini-sports day and a celebration to mark the Prophet Muhammad's birthday. All these largely depended on corporate sponsorships, Sharrip said.

“We receive an allocation of RM1,000 from the municipal council for various programmes in one year. It is not enough, but we manage to get some sponsorship from corporations and other sources,” he said.

Taman Seri Piai is also in the Bukit Melawati seat, where the assemblyman is Umno's Jakiran Jacomah.

The other 11 BN constituencies in Selangor are Sungai Air Tawar, Sungai Panjang, Hulu Bernam, Batang Kali, Sungai Burong, Permatang, Jeram, Kuang, Semenyih, Kota Damansara and Dengkil.

In Jeram, a Taman Bukit Jeram RA representative who would only give his first name, Sulaiman, said the annual allocation could have been particularly useful for the fishermen and farmers in the constituency.

“It is better if the people could benefit from the allocation. If (the assemblyman) received the allocation, the money will definitely help people here, although I am not sure how the money would be channelled or distributed," he said.

Both Yusoff and Sulaiman expressed some resignation over Selangor BN's decision to turn down the allocation, saying it was up to their assemblymen.

“If we get the additional allocation, it would be great for us, but it all depends on our elected representative,” Yusoff said.

However, electoral reform group Bersih 2.0, wants voters in these constituencies to state their displeasure over Selangor BN's move to reject the allocation, saying it was a "betrayal" to voters.

Bersih chairperson Maria Chin Abdullah had told The Malaysian Insider yesterday that the money belonged to the people of the state, irrespective of whether they voted for a PR or BN candidate.

"Each and every BN assemblyman will be guilty of betraying their voters if they refused to accept the RM200,000 as the fund actually comes from the ratepayer in the state.

"These wakil rakyat are placing their self interest and that of their party above the welfare of the people," she had said.

But Kota Damansara resident Alpadzul Abu Hassan said Selangor BN assemblymen were right in rejecting the allocation, as it was "unfair" for them to be given a lesser sum than PR representatives.

“I believe assemblymen from BN rejected the offer because they want to open people’s minds to the unfairness and injustice that happens in the current state government,” said Alpadzul, who was formerly a RA chairman.

He questioned why a PR-led state government could not give the same amount to opposition lawmakers as it did to its own assemblymen, and asked how a PR government was any different from a BN one.

“They are not in federal power but they already do such things. It shows how they will act and govern if they rule Malaysia in the future," Alpadzul said.

In rejecting the allocation, state opposition leader Datuk Mohd Shamsuddin Lias said it was not offered sincerely as Azmin had remarked that he would "take the money back if they did not want it".

Shamsuddin also said the fund was an insult to the Umno assemblymen as they were not getting the same amount as PR reps.

Selangor's move to allocate funds directly to opposition legislators is important as at federal level, the constituencies of BN MPs are allocated RM1 million each year from the federal government for development projects, while PR MPs receive nothing.

Bersih's Maria had condemned this discriminatory practice, saying it was wrong for opposition-held constituencies to be "punished" because voters did not choose BN candidates.

"Remember, the money from the federal government's coffers also comes from taxpayers, irrespective of who they voted for," she had said. – November 27, 2014.