GEORGE TOWN – Civil society groups advocating electoral reforms have lambasted Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow for suggesting that the sentiments of party or state government supporters should influence decisions on equal allocations.
Speaking in the state legislative assembly last week, Chow stated that providing equal allocations to all 40 state assemblymen could raise questions from “our supporters”.
“Therefore, there needs to be some difference,” Chow remarked in response to Perikatan Nasional’s Telok Ayer Tawar assemblyman Azmi Alang, who had accused the Penang government of being “cruel” by denying opposition representatives equal allocations.
Currently, opposition assemblymen receive RM60,000 annually, compared to RM500,000 allocated to government backbenchers. Chow justified the disparity by citing the appointment of constituency coordinators in opposition-held areas, who receive RM100,000 annually in salaries.
Reform advocates disappointed
Bersih chairman Faisal Abdul Aziz criticised Chow’s reasoning, noting that Pakatan Harapan (PH) had pledged equal allocations in its GE15 manifesto.
“I don’t think that should have been an excuse since the PH manifesto explicitly promised to provide equal onstituency development funds (CDF). I believe all PH supporters have read the manifesto,” Faisal told Scoop.
Danesh Prakash Chacko, director of Tindak Malaysia, echoed Faisal’s views, stressing that the state government has a duty to serve all residents and voters, regardless of political affiliation.
Public projects insufficient
Chow also argued that public projects, funded by both state and federal governments, benefit all constituencies regardless of their political representation. However, this justification did not sit well with reform advocates.
“If that is the case, why provide CDF allocations to backbenchers at all?” Faisal countered. “All state representatives are elected through the democratic process and deserve to be treated equally.”
Danesh questioned whether opposition lawmakers are consulted on such projects. “Are opposition lawmakers consulted for such projects beforehand?” he asked.
Both Faisal and Danesh also expressed disappointment with Chow’s lack of commitment to equal allocations, calling it a missed opportunity for Penang to set an example for Putrajaya. They pointed to Perak as a model, where equal allocations are provided to all 59 assemblymen.
Call for political maturity
Faisal emphasised that equal allocations would promote political maturity and bipartisan cooperation, aligning with the principles of the Madani Government. “This spirit should be the basis for the Madani Government at both federal and state levels. It can start from the state government,” he said.
Danesh added that implementing equitable CDF would mitigate the effects of malapportionment, ensuring constituencies with larger populations are not disadvantaged compared to smaller, rural constituencies.
Undemocratic and harmful
Both advocates described the refusal to provide equal allocations as undemocratic and disrespectful to voters. Danesh argued that it impedes lawmakers’ ability to assist their constituents effectively.
“While state representatives’ primary role is legislative, the reality in Malaysia is that they often act as welfare officers. Inequitable allocations can deny needy people the assistance they require and undermine the credibility of other political parties,” he said. – December 4, 2024