LETTER | Allocate equitable development funds to all reps in S’wak

LETTER | Persatuan Pemangkin Daya Masyarakat (ROSE) calls on the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) government to allocate equitable Constituency Development Funding (CDF) to all state assemblypersons regardless of their political affiliation.

We refer to a recent report that the Sarawak premier has approved an allocation for Rural Transformation Project (RTP) and Minor Rural Projects (MRP) for Bawang Assan constituency whose elected representative is in the opposition.

However, we wonder if the other five opposition-held constituencies in Sarawak will get the same allocation as well.

As CDF is from public funds, it should not be used to advantage certain political parties in state government, but instead, be allocated to all elected representatives regardless of their affiliation.

No allocation for opposition-held areas means it is a form of punishment to voters who had voted for the opposition to represent them.

Particularly where the constituency is more rural and CDF allocations are meant for addressing urgent development or delivery gaps, voters are being “taught” that they will be deprived of development if they do not vote for the ruling party.

Emulate other states in West M’sia

Consequently, they are “taught” to judge the performance of their elected representatives by the allocation of grants (from public funds including taxes paid by the people) instead of their performance as a lawmaker.

Hence, we also call on the GPS government to emulate other state governments like Selangor, Perak and Johor which give out equitable CDF to all elected state representatives.

Currently, in Sarawak, all elected reps from government parties get a total funding allocation worth RM8 million per year.

This is for faster delivery or implementation of small, rural or minor projects for the benefit of the local people or voters, instead of waiting under the usual circumstances for development project budgets to be approved and presented under relevant ministries.

We also join the calls of other civil society organisations such as Ideas and Bersih for a law on equitable CDF for purposes of accountability - including taking away the discretionary nature of such allocations.

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