PUTRAJAYA, Aug 18: DAP has reiterated its call for equal Constituency Development Funds (CDF) for all Members of Parliament (MPs) regardless of which political party they represent and eventually institutionalised through legislation.
Making this call, National chairman Gobind Singh Deo said the party had raised the matter with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim several times and that he would raise it again, stressing the need for the commitment to be implemented immediately.
“Before this, I have, the DAP party has, brought to his attention several times the need for us to ensure that we implement the agreement,” he said.
Gobind said DAP remained committed to fulfilling the Pakatan Harapan election manifesto’s promise that CDF provisions must be given equally to all MPs.
He welcomed the announcement of an additional RM1 million allocation for every parliamentary constituency nationwide, but said it did not resolve the core issue of providing equal, non-discriminatory allocations to every MP.
In a statement issued today, Gobind said withholding equal funding undermined the democratic mandate of elected representatives and that voters in any constituency should not be placed at a disadvantage merely because of their political choices or affiliations.
“If someone has been chosen by the people in an area, he has a responsibility. And one of his responsibilities is to ensure that the task is carried out and that it meets the needs of the constituency,” he said.
Gobind, who is also Digital Minister, said legislation to institutionalise equal CDF allocations would remove political discretion from the process, ensure transparency and permanently protect the rights of voters nationwide.
Urging the Prime Minister to address the delay, he said the renewal will not be a government renewal but a permanent renewal that will secure equal constituency allocation for every MP in Malaysia.
–WE