SHAH ALAM: Several Selangor Pas assemblymen said they have been forking out money from their own pockets to fund various activities and programmes for their constituents pending the disbursement of their RM800,000 annual allocation from the state government.
Paya Jaras assemblyman Mohd Khairuddin Othman said he has so far spent RM45,000 of his own money, which among others, were channeled to providing daily assistance to his constituents, the Peduli Sihat programme, as well as the recent opening of the Paya Jaras mini stadium.
The amount he has used will be claimed once he gets the RM800,000 annual allocation, he added.
"It is quite normal to wait until the end of January for us to receive the annual allocation. So far, I have only heard rumours about the freeze but I have not seen any official document on it. But I am very sure that there would not be a freeze as it was approved and passed during the Selangor state legislative assembly. An administrative delay is quite normal," Khairuddin told the New Straits Times today.
He, however, hoped that the annual allocation would be expedited so that all of the programmes that he had lined up for the rakyat would not be disrupted.
“I have planned so many programmes for the rakyat and I truly hope the Selangor Menteri Besar (Datuk Seri Azmin Ali) could assist us to ensure that it goes on smoothly. Otherwise we may have to call off the programmes and the assistance that we have promised to our Selangor rakyat.
"I hope the MB could help the soonest possible as January is when most underprivileged students need our help," said Khairuddin.
Meru assemblyman Dr Abdul Rani Osman said he has so far this month spent RM16,000 for his welfare visits, programmes and sponsorships for community events in his constituency, from which he would claim once he receives the annual allocation.
“It is normal for us to receive the allocation by end of Jan or early Feb. It is like this annually so I do not see an issue with this. To me, these are all hearsay because there is no black and white from the state government.
"I also do not think that my Pas colleagues and I are being singled out from receiving the annual allocation just because we are from the Islamist party. I have checked with my fellow assemblymen from DAP and PKR and they, too, have not gotten theirs.
"If my colleagues from DAP have received theirs and PAS have not, then it would be a different situation altogether,” said Rani.
Taman Templer assemblyman Zaidy Abdul Talib said he, too, has been using his own money in advance for all of his welfare visits to his constituents.
"It is just the beginning of the year so I have not spent a lot yet. As usual, the annual allocation will only be dispersed at the end of this month or early February. So far, it has not been channeled to all of the assemblymen. I have checked with the district office on this rumour (the alleged freeze) and there is no verification on it yet," he said.
Selangor Pas commissioner Sallehen Mukhyi had reportedly said that the Selangor state government had frozen the annual allocations meant for the party's assemblymen.
He had claimed that he was informed by a state Economic Planning Unit officer that Pas assemblymen would be excluded from receiving the funds.
Sallehen, who is also Sabak assemblyman, however said that he did not receive any official letter on the matter yet.
He added Pas would consider meeting the Sultan of Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah to resolve the matter should the state government fail to respond.