'Since when must allocations go to MPs?' — Anwar

ALOR GAJAH — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has stressed that government allocations channelled to parliamentary constituencies are not the exclusive right of the elected representative there.

He said the funds are given to the people to provide facilities that improve comfort and living standards in the area concerned.

"Allocations do not necessarily have to be given to Members of Parliament. Allocations are given to the people. Since when must we give them to MPs? If there is an allocation of RM2 million, that RM2 million (goes) to the people, schools, religious schools, mosques, repairing drains… we will do all of that," he said, in remarks translated from Malay.

Anwar said the policy had long been in place and was well known to MPs.

"That policy has applied from before, the MPs have known this all along. Now, they oppose it, so when they oppose it, we channel it directly to the people," he told reporters after Friday prayers at Masjid Ar-Rasyidin in Alor Gajah today.

Also present were Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs) Senator Dr Zulkifli Hasan and Melaka police chief Datuk Dzulkhairi Mukhtar.

The Prime Minister was responding to claims by several MPs that their allocations had been withheld by the government.

Nurul Izzah 'still active in the party'

Asked about PKR deputy president Nurul Izzah Anwar's application to relinquish her post a day earlier, Anwar said she had other matters to attend to for the time being.

"She has a special programme outside for a while, so I said it is fine, and we can accept that well… but she is still active in the party," he said.

— Bernama