KUCHING, April 19 ― The move by the federal unity government to let elected representatives distribute government grants has been described as a good step forward for democracy.
Michael Kong, a special assistant to Sarawak Democratic Action Party (DAP) chairman Chong Chieng Jen, said it has always been his party’s position that there should be equal allocation for every elected representative, whether they are in government or Opposition.
“After all, this is the people’s money.
“This is maturity in terms of equal allocation at the federal level. We hope to see this practice being extended to all states including Sarawak,” Kong stressed.
The DAP is part of the unity government at federal level but remains as Opposition at state level.
Kong is also chairman of Sarawak Commercial Vehicles Licensing Board (CVLB).
Quoting Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof, Bernama reported yesterday that the Unity Government Secretariat Supreme Leadership Council had agreed in principle to consider extending allocations to elected representatives from the Opposition.
The Petra Jaya MP, who is also Energy Transition and Water Transformation minister, said a draft Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) will be drawn up and extended to the Opposition for further discussions.
Fadillah, who is also the unity government chief whip, said this agreement was reached at the council’s meeting at Sri Perdana in Putrajaya on Wednesday.
The meeting, which lasted for more than an hour, was chaired by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and attended by top leaders of component parties in the unity government, he said. ― The Borneo Post
