Gubal peruntukan saksama atau menyesal bila jadi pembangkang, kata Kiandee

Ronald Kiandee, a member of the Barisan Nasional (BN) party in Malaysia, warned Members of Parliament that they could face the issue of equal allowances, which would disadvantage opposition MPs. In Kuala Lumpur, Kiandee (PN-Beluran) called for amendments to Parliament's standing orders, including the enactment of generous allowance legislation while it's still possible.

He urged for regional parliamentary allowances to be guaranteed for all Members of Parliament under the law, making it easier for opposition MPs to face a no-confidence motion in the House of Representatives and changing anti-defection laws.

Kiandee pointed out that regional parliamentary allowances should be protected by law to ensure opposition MPs receive equal funding regardless of which party holds power. He acknowledged that the Barisan Nasional failed to do so when in power, causing its MPs to not receive allowances after the 2018 general election when the coalition lost its majority.

Kiandee admitted that the BN had failed to act upon this when it held power, leading to opposition MPs not receiving allowances after the coalition fell, during the 2018 general election.

He urged changes to be made to the standing orders of the Parliament to prevent no-confidence motions against the government from being ignored. Regarding the anti-defection law, Kiandee said it failed to prevent political defections while also unfairly punishing MPs like himself who were hounded by their party but could not join a new political alliance.

He explained that the Anti-Defection Act not only failed to prevent defections but also harmed those who were victimized by their party, referring to his position as the BN Vice President who was expelled.

Kiandee suggested the government should act before it's too late, warning opposition MPs that they may face the same allowance issue should there be a power swap in the future. If a power swap occurs, they would complain just as we are complaining now, he said.