GEORGE TOWN: The Penang state government has denied allegations that it has frozen the allocated funds of assemblymen who failed to attend the state Governor’s swearing-in ceremony last month.
Responding to Penanti assemblyman Norlela Ariffin's emotional Facebook post on the matter, Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng denied the claim.
Lim clarified that the state executive council has now made it necessary for all assemblymen to apply for the RM50,000 outright grant allocation, which is disbursed four times a year.
"They will get their allocation, but they will (first) have to apply to the Chief Minister’s Office and provide and explanation for their absence at the Governor’s swearing-in.
"There is no excuse for their absence at the swearing-in function for the highest position in the state," he told reporters here when asked to comment on Norlela's post.
Norlela had posted that her allocation had been frozen after she failed to attend the swearing-in ceremony.
She has since, however, deleted her post.
Lim said that making assemblymen apply for their allocations is merely a light slap on the wrist for the “offence” of missing the swearing-in ceremony.
He added that the punishment is being meted out to assemblymen from DAP, PKR and Umno.