PETALING JAYA: Tebrau MP Jimmy Puah has joined DAP’s call for the government to enact a dedicated law guaranteeing equal development funds for all MPs, making him the first PKR MP to publicly back the move.
Puah said the current system needed reforming to ensure that public funds are distributed fairly without administrative discretion or political trade-offs.
“Whether an MP is from the government or the opposition, they should not receive different treatment regarding development allocations simply due to differing political stances,” the Johor PKR vice-chief said in a statement.
Puah proposed drawing up a Parliamentary Constituency Development Allocation Act to institutionalise the framework and establish a clear legal basis for MPs’ funding.
He said MPs could receive a base allocation with additional amounts adjusted using objective criteria such as voter population and constituency size.
“We need to build a system that does not require the opposition to negotiate with the government, does not involve political trade-offs, and does not change simply because there is a change of government.”
Earlier this week, DAP urged Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to give equal funds to all MPs and institutionalise the practice through legislation.
DAP chairman Gobind Singh Deo said party leaders had spoken to Anwar several times about carrying this out since it was among Pakatan Harapan’s election pledges.
Suspended Bersatu vice-president Ronald Kiandee subsequently urged MPs from PKR and Amanah to state their position on the matter as well.
