Anwar said the move was meant to better control the country’s finances and would be implemented in stages.

“This allowance is the development allocations for MPs, as coordinated by the respective district and land offices, and the state development officers. It is being reduced due to economic constraints.

“It will be done in stages. This will set an early example, meaning MPs don’t mind the cut although they are not personal contributions but are development allocations,” he told reporters at Warung Pak Salleh here.

However, the government would consider extending additional allocations if there were pressing needs in a particular parliamentary constituency, such as for the maintenance of infrastructure, he said.

It was reported recently that constituency allocations for government backbencher MPs this year were slashed by more than 65%, from RM3.8 million to RM1.3 million.

According to the reports, the amount consists of a RM1 million outright grant and another RM300,000 for service centre operations.