Pakatan Harapan (PH) assemblymen in Negeri Sembilan have urged the state government to reconsider its directive requiring them to return allocations received for July to September following the dissolution of the state assembly.
Nilai assemblyman J Arul Kumar said the allocations had already been used for public welfare, with some assemblymen having spent their funds in full, Sinar Harian reported.
“When we received the allocations, we naturally channelled them to individuals and organisations such as schools, associations, Rukun Tetangga groups and village development and security committees.
“We did not use the funds for ourselves or for political purposes. Everything was used for community activities,” he was quoted as saying at a press conference at the Seremban MP’s office today.
PH reps question repayment directive
Negeri Sembilan menteri besar Ismail Lasim said 10 PH assemblymen and two constituency coordinators had been ordered to return allocations for July to September.
The payments had been made a day before the state assembly was dissolved on June 5.
The 10 PH assemblymen and the coordinators for Labu and Paroi were required to return RM174,000 and RM150,000 respectively.
Seven former PH executive councillors were also required to return RM150,000 each.
Arul said returning the allocations would be difficult, particularly because of the large amounts involved.
He also clarified that the allocations were disbursed quarterly rather than monthly.
“According to the menteri besar’s press conference yesterday, he asked us to return the allocations based on the months. But the allocations were disbursed quarterly.
“It was never stated that we had to use a specific amount each month. It was up to the individual assemblymen to manage the funds, as emergencies could arise that required more of the allocation to be used,” he said.
Financial reports already submitted
Arul said the PH assemblymen and the two constituency coordinators had submitted financial reports to the menteri besar’s office up to June 30, as instructed.
Any remaining allocations were returned before July 10, he said.
He said this meant the assemblymen were allowed to use the allocations from June 4 to June 30 based on the letter issued to them.
“So how are we supposed to return the money now? How can we return money that we have already spent on the people?
“Some recipients have even contacted us to ask whether they need to return the contributions they received,” he said.
Arul said he would meet Ismail for further clarification after receiving an official letter from the state government.
He also hoped the state government would review the financial reports and documentation showing how the allocations had been distributed.
“Most importantly, we used the money for the people, not for political purposes, and all the records have already been submitted to the menteri besar’s office,” he said.
