RM100,000 ALLOCATION FOR OPPOSITION REPS A POSITIVE STEP TOWARDS HELPING THE PEOPLE - POON

Datuk Frankie Poon Ming Fung

9 Feb 2021

By Wartawan Nabalu News

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah DAP chief Datuk Frankie Poon Ming Fung said the RM100,000 allocation for Opposition assemblypersons as announced by Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor this evening is a positive reconciliation step towards helping the people.

Although feeling grateful for the special allocation given, the Tanjong Papat Assemblyman is of the view that a fair amount for each assemblyperson should be RM300,000 a year.

"RM100,000 is definitely insufficient. No amount will ever be the right amount as each constituency has various needs. However, it is better than nothing at all.

"But this is a positive reconciliation step towards helping the rakyat. Ultimately, the rakyat are the ones who suffer the most," he said when contacted by Nabalu News today.

"In a way, it is respecting the wishes of voters in each constituency. Who knows the rakyat more than their YBs (representatives)?" he added.

Poon also expressed hope that it would not be the first and last allocation for opposition assemblypersons.

"I hope the chief minister would review the situations and needs of the people in the next months with the view to provide additional allocation for us to ease the difficulties faced by the people," he asserted.

Earlier today, Hajiji announced that the 31 opposition elected representatives in the state will get a special RM100,000 allocation each to resolve the problems in their respective constituencies and assist the people during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The funds which involve a total of RM3.1 million will be channelled through the opposition assemblyperson's respective district offices.