ELECTION watchdog Bersih wants the government to enact a law to ensure equitable constituency allocations to all lawmakers irrespective of their political leanings. 

Bersih said in a statement that the allocation should not be given based on the discretion of the prime minister. 

“A law needs to be enacted so that whoever holds the reins of government can provide equitable area development allocations to all elected representatives regardless of political leanings.

“Area development allocation is the right of the people and is an effective mechanism in helping the people solve their problems immediately. 

“The provision of unequal and equitable area development allocations for all elected representatives is a punishment to the people for electing elected representatives who are not on the side of the government,” Bersih said. It also reminded Pakatan Harapan (PH) that the allocation of equitable area development was one of the promises in its general election manifesto. 

It said the PH-led government should not follow the old-fashioned authoritarian legacy of Barisan Nasional. 

“This should not be continued by the unity government that governs currently and presents itself as a reformer.” 

Bersih said the provision of equitable allocations must be made one of the main and urgent items in the effort to reform the political and institutional system. 

It said this can be the basis for efforts to bridge the gap between the government and the opposition, which has been too large for too long. 

“The allocation of equitable regional development is an important reform to guarantee political stability so that no political party uses it as an excuse to change the government in the middle of the term,” Bersih said.

Last week, Arau MP Shahidan Kasim and Jerantut MP Khairil Nizam called for equal allocations to be given to opposition MPs. – January 4, 2023.