Bukit Gantang MP Syed Abu Hussin Hafiz Syed Abdul Fasal said he is prepared to support the unity government if his requests for funds are met. (Bernama pic)
KUALA LUMPUR: An opposition MP has voiced his frustration over the government’s lack of response to the requests and appeals he has made on behalf of his constituents.
Despite making numerous requests in previous debates, Syed Abu Hussin Hafiz Syed Abdul Fasal (PN-Bukit Gantang) said they appear to have fallen on deaf ears.
“If we don’t ask, the government won’t do anything. Asking politely doesn’t work. Asking forcefully also doesn’t work. How else should we express our needs?” he said during the debate on the 2024 supply bill at the committee level today.
Hussin is seeking the health ministry’s help in upgrading the health centres at Bukit Gantang and Air Putih by allocating RM25 million for each facility.
“I have previously stated my willingness to support Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s government if funds are allocated for my constituency.
“This commitment extends to the two health centres. Unfortunately, there has been no clear response,” he said.
Earlier this month, Hussin raised eyebrows in the Dewan Rakyat when he said he would pledge his support for Anwar and his government if he received development funds for his constituency.
At that time, he suggested that the rural and regional development ministry allocate a total of RM30 million for his constituency to fix roads in rural areas, upgrade suraus and even public toilets.
Equal allocations for MPs have been a contentious issue of late, leading to four MPs from Bersatu pledging their support for the government.
They are Iskandar Dzulkarnain Abdul Khalid (Kuala Kangsar), Suhaili Abdul Rahman (Labuan), Azizi Abu Naim (Gua Musang) and Zahari Kechik (Jeli).
Iskandar Dzulkarnain and Suhaili have since been suspended for four and six years, respectively, after the party’s disciplinary board ruled that they had breached Bersatu’s constitution.
Presently, each of the government’s 148 MPs is allocated development funds of RM1.3 million annually, an amount several times higher than the allocation for opposition MPs.
Opposition MPs only received equal allocations when Ismail Sabri Yaakob was the prime minister, after his coalition signed a memorandum of understanding with Pakatan Harapan, which was the opposition then.
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