Works Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi. — Malay Mail photo
KUCHING (Feb 7): Works Minister Dato Sri Alexander Nanta Linggi is confident that the government will look into helping members of parliament (MPs) who are in need of more allocations should the initial allocation provided for them be insufficient.
He said that he had heard that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had mentioned that should the initial allocation be proven to be insufficient, additional allocation can be considered for them.
“I can accept what was given to the MPs at the initial stage because I heard that there were also statements by the Prime Minister saying that MPs should take what was given first, if it’s not enough it will be considered later on.
“So (because of that) I’m an optimistic person. I also hope that the Prime Minister will give more at the end of the year, hence I’m not too worried,” he said when met by reporters after a working visit to Lachau yesterday.
The Kapit MP said it is important for an MP of a rural and interior area like him to receive huge allocations considering there is just so many facilities and infrastructure which are needed to be built or provided for the people of his area.
He was answering questions from reporters about news reports of him saying that the decision to reduce the development allocation for parliamentary members will hamper the distribution of aid and governance of constituencies in the interior areas.
According to Bernama, Nanta said the cut in the allocation would give him a greater challenge in carrying out his responsibilities as an elected representative of a parliamentary constituency that is in the interior area and is as big as Pahang.
“As a member of Parliament and a member of the Cabinet of the Unity Government, I fully understand the action, which has to be taken to save the country’s finances.
“Although I feel a little aggrieved, I have to accept this ruling and hope that this allocation will be increased by the government from time to time,” he was quoted to have said in the Bernama news report.
The Bernama news report also said that Nanta, who is also the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) secretary-general, said that with the previous allocation, the MPs were able to help the constituents more efficiently and the fund could be channelled directly and quickly without having to go through various processes at the district office or government department level.
“It was not limited to residents in rural areas only, but also benefitted urban and suburban residents,” he added.
Last Friday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim confirmed that the development allowance for MPs has been reduced to RM1.3 million from RM3.8 million to better control the country’s finances and would be implemented in stages.
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