DAP’s Ong Kian Ming said that this includes allocations for the opposition in Pakatan Harapan controlled states, such as Penang and Selangor.
The Bangi MP also said that Perak assemblymen received equal allocation, while the allocation was “more or less” equal for all elected representatives in Johor.
“So it is factually wrong to say that we have achieved nothing.
“Even though we haven’t gotten to the desired stage, there has been quite a number of efforts that have been done since 2008,” Ong said at a webinar on political financing today.
He said this in reply to economist Terence Gomez’s assertion earlier that despite the massive campaign related to reforms on political financing — especially after the 2008 general election which saw the opposition control five states — “we have achieved nothing”.
Ong went on to hail the recent MoU signed between the Ismail Sabri Yaakob-led government and the opposition, which also provides for equal allocations for all MPs.
He said although it doesn’t deal with political funding directly, the fact that the equal allocations were given to both sides meant there would be less pressure on MPs when it came to raising funds for their constituency.
“Especially so for the opposition as well as government MPs for their constituency work.”
Ong expressed hope that the equal allocations would also be channelled to MPs from other opposition parties that did not sign the MoU, including Pejuang.
He also revealed that the opposition wanted to include many other matters in the MoU, including political financing and constituency delimitation, but decided against it “to focus on other things”.
However, he said the spirit of the MoU will allow for such discussions to be held later on.
But Ong said that political financing for parties was a concern.
“I think there will be increasing pressure on politicians, especially younger ones to use the allocations set aside by the state or federal government, to contribute to members via NGOs or associations they control.”
Ong said he hoped that there would be a more substantial discussion about this, including within his own party.
“It’s something that has not been discussed that much in the party due to the sensitivities leading up to the next CEC election,” he said, referring to the party’s central executive committee elections.