Peruntukan sama rata perlu kesepakatan kerajaan perpaduan, kata pemimpin Amanah

Aiman Athirah Sabu, the Chairperson of Women Amanah, emphasized that equal regional funding for all Members of Parliament (MPs) cannot be solely achieved by one party, but rather requires consensus among all stakeholders in a unity government. She advocated for regional funding reform to be carried out through dialogue and mutual understanding among all parties forming the government.

This commitment to equitable regional funding through the Community Development Fund (CDF) was highlighted as part of the reform spirit led by Pakatan Harapan (PH).

The current reality of governance needs to be understood. The existing government is a unity government composed of various parties with different political backgrounds, historical struggles, and manifestos. Therefore, a major national reform cannot be implemented unilaterally, but rather necessitates dialogue, understanding, and agreement among all coalition partners, she told FMT.

The Deputy Minister of Housing and Local Government discussed how the concerns of Beluran MP Ronald Kiandee, who called for the reformers of PKR and Amanah to publicly voice their opinions after the DAP supporting an equitable funding system, are not limited to the Perikatan Nasional (PN). According to Kiandee, these concerns have been circulating for four years since the PN raised the issue of regional funding inequality.

On August 16, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced an additional RM1 million for each parliamentary constituency, but the fund would be allocated directly to address the needs of the people.

Aiman stressed that regional funding is not an entitlement for any MP but rather a mechanism to provide service, ensuring that the needs of the people can be met more effectively, systematically, and responsibly. Hence, Aiman urged the distinction between regional development funding and the operational services of MP representatives, as both have different goals, mechanisms, and responsibilities.

Under the current administration, she emphasized that national development should not be carried out based on the political color of any specific region, but rather prioritize based on the needs of the people, development gaps, public interests, and the principle of good governance.

Unquestionably, the issue of regional funding must be strengthened through a clear framework of legislation and a comprehensive cooperation process involving all relevant parties. This framework must ensure principles of equity, fairness, accountability, and good governance, including in terms of allocation methods, monitoring mechanisms, and effective implementation.

She reiterated that Amanah and PH remain committed to the spirit of their manifestos, but implementation must take into account the reality of being a unity government. The funding must be an asset for the people, not a political tool for any party.