MUAR MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman said he would not mind going through 100 rounds of negotiation just as long as he receives his allocation for his constituency, adding that the government should not be cruel and punish his constituents.
The former Muda president said this in an interview with Utusan Malaysia following recent revelations that he has not received any allocations from the government despite having met with Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof three times to talk about it.
“Immediately after Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced that the opposition should conduct negotiations with the federal government for allocations I got in touch with the deputy prime minister to discuss the matter three times,” Syed Saddiq was quoted as saying by the Malay news portal on Wednesday (March 20).
“I had already sent a letter seeking resolution to the matter but despite holding multiple rounds of negotiations, no conclusion has been reached up until now.
“However, I don’t blame the deputy prime minister as all decisions (on the matter) rest with the prime minister. But don’t cheat and lie to us. They said in the Dewan Rakyat to negotiate if we want our allocations and that is what I did – many times.”
When asked if the government had set any conditions for opposition MPs to receive funding for their constituencies, Syed Saddiq said Fadillah had told him to wait for the prime minister’s decision on the matter.
“I asked Fadillah if I had to sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) or bring the issue to Parliament and he said I should wait for the prime minister’s decision,” he revealed.
“However, I can no longer bear to see the people in my constituency struggling as they need help from the federal government.”
“100 rounds of negotiation”
On March 13, Syed Saddiq had once again submitted a query in parliament requesting clarification from the prime minister about allocations for his constituency.
In a written reply in parliament, Federal Territories Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa had revealed that some RM300 mil had been channelled for the implementation of several projects in the Muar constituency.
Commenting on this, Syed Saddiq said he was dissatisfied with Dr Zaliha’s response, saying that the minister had failed to provide a proper response to his query.
“The prime minister was the one who said that we had to negotiate for allocations, but I have yet to receive even a sen from the federal government despite negotiating. That’s fine, it’s the prime minister’s prerogative whether he wants to give us the allocation, right?”
When quizzed if he would be open to meet Fadilah for the fourth time to negotiate for the allocations, Syed Saddiq responded: “It wouldn’t bother me if I had to hold 100 rounds of negotiations. I will keep negotiating until I receive the allocations,” he stressed.
“(In the event I fail to receive the allocations as an MP), that’s fine. Just give the allocations to the district office (in Muar). However, I’m concerned about the welfare assistance for the people as the allocation for the Welfare Department isn’t much to begin with.
“Some people go to the Welfare Department for milk powder and disposable diapers but when the department turns them away due to the lack of allocation, they will seek my help. How can I ask them to wait patiently?”
In September last year, Syed Saddiq announced that Muda has withdrawn its support for the unity government, saying the party has decided to be a “third force” in Malaysia’s politics by becoming an opposition party.
This is in reaction to Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s discharge not amounting to acquittal (DNAA) in a corruption case.
Zahid, who is also the Rural and Regional Development Minister, had faced 47 counts covering criminal breach of trust for more than RM31 mil belonging to his Yayasan Akalbudi charitable foundation, money laundering of over RM72 mil and RM21 mil in bribes. – March 20, 2024
Main pic credit: Bernama
