Anwar denies sidelining opposition constituencies, saying development funds are allocated based on project needs, national priorities and financial capacity.
KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has rejected claims that opposition-held constituencies are being sidelined in development funding, stressing that allocations are channelled towards projects rather than handed directly to MPs.
“People and constituencies are not being sidelined in the implementation of development projects, as alleged. Projects do not necessarily have to be channelled through MPs.
“Even in constituencies represented by government parties, allocations are not given directly to MPs, whose role is merely to verify the projects concerned,” he said during Prime Minister’s Question Time in the Dewan Rakyat today.
Anwar was responding to Besut MP Che Mohamad Zulkifly Jusoh, who questioned why opposition MPs were not receiving constituency development allocations on the same terms as government lawmakers, despite a pledge in Pakatan Harapan’s manifesto.
Che Mohamad Zulkifly also asked whether the government intended to introduce legislation guaranteeing equal allocations before the next general election or formally acknowledge that it would not fulfil the pledge.
Anwar said project allocations were determined according to national development priorities, consultations with ministries and government agencies, input from state governments and district offices, the government’s financial capacity and local needs.
Citing Besut as an example, he said RM123 million had been approved for 197 development projects covering infrastructure, healthcare, housing, agriculture, education and flood mitigation.
On allocations channelled through opposition MPs, Anwar said the government remained prepared to proceed under an agreement framework similar to the one adopted when he was opposition leader.
“If they sign today, it will be approved tomorrow. If they do not want to negotiate, that is not my problem,” he said, adding that Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof had been tasked with conducting the negotiations.
Anwar also cited Terengganu, an opposition-governed state, saying its overall allocation had increased from RM6 billion under the previous administration to RM8.2 billion for 2027.
“What discrimination is this? What cruelty? We increased it by RM2.2 billion,” he said, dismissing allegations that opposition-held areas were being treated unfairly.
However, Che Mohamad Zulkifly disputed the comparison, interjecting that the earlier allocation was RM2.1 billion rather than RM6 billion.
Anwar maintained that allocations had increased under the current administration, reiterating that no state or parliamentary constituency was being excluded from development funding.
