Denial of development funds to opposition MPs a highlight at Bersih rally, says Rafizi

Pandan MP Rafizi Ramli says the lack of financial allocation to opposition seats will be highlighted in the Bersih 4 rally. – The Malaysian Insider pic, August 24, 2015.Denying financial allocation to constituencies held by opposition lawmakers will be a rallying point at the Bersih 4 gathering over the weekend, Pandan MP Rafizi Ramli said.

He said the public needed to be made aware that such allocation also came from taxpayers' contribution, irrespective of their political party affiliations, and the Barisan Nasional (BN) government could not be selective in disbursing it.

"Discriminating voters and denying them development funds for voting opposition lawmakers will be highlighted during the gathering," he told The Malaysian Insider.

Rafizi, who is also PKR's secretary-general, said this in response to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak's promise to BN federal lawmakers last week to allocate more funds next year.

"Before it was RM1 million, now it is RM5 million. But next year there will be more. I will make an announcement about what we can do," the Umno president had said when opening the Gerik division meeting in Perak.

It would be the third time Najib increased allocation for BN lawmakers to carry out small development projects in their constituencies.

In 2010, he added RM500,000 to the existing RM1 million for every BN parliamentarian. This was later increased to RM5 million.

BN currently has 133 MPs while opposition parties under the now-defunct Pakatan Rakyat have 88 seats and one Independent in the Dewan Rakyat.

The same allocation is, however, not given to opposition MPs.

Rafizi said the Bersih 4 rally, which is to last for 34 hours, is the ideal platform to drive home BN's indiscriminate policy.

According to the organiser, electoral watchdog group Bersih 2.0, is demanding reforms in the voter system, governance, freedom to protest, parliamentary democracy and the economy.

Dubbed the "Democracy Festival", it will also see performances, workshops and community talks to last overnight.

Rafizi said it was unfair for the ruling government to deny opposition MPs the financial allocation as it was punishing the voters and public for electing non-BN lawmakers.

"Actually all constituencies should be treated equally because development projects must benefit all, including BN voters, although the majority had elected opposition MPs."

Rafizi said in 2011, frustrated that the Sungai Siput voters were denied their right to government allocation, its MP Michael Jeyakumar took the matter to court.

However, in 2013, the Federal Court ruled Jeyakumar could not use the legal process to question the government for denying him financial allocation to service constituents.

Federal Court judge Tan Sri Raus Sharif, who delivered the judgment of a five-man bench, said the executive could exercise its discretion whether to set aside allocation to the opposition.

He said the apex court was of the view that "our courts do not possess the knowledge of policy considerations that underlie the decisions made by the respondents (government)".

Rafizi said he could not agree with the findings of the apex court, which was not based on fair play.

"It only legitimises the BN government to bribe voters to elect its candidates which will entitle them to development funds," he added.

- TMI