Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said is pictured at Parliament, Kuala Lumpur July 28, 2021. — Bernama pic
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 9 — Several Members of Parliament (MPs) have requested to be given access to data from certain agencies, for the purpose of infrastructure development in their respective constituencies.
Among them is Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said (BN-Pengerang) who said that a data bank is needed to see and know the effectiveness of certain developments.
“If there is no data bank, how do we know the effectiveness of the development approach carried out by the federal and state governments,” she said when debating the Supply Bill 2022 in the Dewan Rakyat, today.
In addition, Azalina sought clarification on whether the government has a strategy to distribute corporate social responsibility (CSR) funds from mega industries directly, so that they can be channelled to infrastructure improvement initiatives such as free solar lighting systems, scholarships for local education and free transportation systems for senior citizens.
“Why is this responsibility always taken up by the federal or state governments. Why can’t (from) the taxes collected, a percentage be allocated to those who need help in development in their own constituencies,” she said.
Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin (BN-Kinabatangan), in his debate, asked the Ministry of Rural Development to keep data for project allocation information in each parliamentary constituency.
“What allocations what projects have been implemented, or others that are underway and what is needed. However, to this date I have yet to see them being implemented or made on an ongoing basis by the ministry,” he said.
Apart from that, he said that the allocation should be evaluated in terms of size and needs according to parliamentary constituencies. Allocations, especially those related to development in the Peninsular, Sabah and Sarawak, are currently almost the same.
Interjecting Bung Moktar’s debate, Datuk Seri Shamsul Anuar Nasarah (BN-Lenggong) asked for Bung Moktar’s views on whether he agreed that elected representatives should be given the opportunity to determine development projects in their respective constituencies.
“Elected representatives who are close to their constituents would know what the people are struggling with … give the elected representatives in Sabah and Sarawak the opportunity to determine projects such as housing development, water and electricity supply, and the government will consider based on the elected representative’s proposal, what is Kinabatangan’s (Bung Moktar) view on this?” asked Shamsul Anuar.
The view was welcomed by Bung Moktar who said: “Lenggong (Shamsul Anuar) is really wise, he can see this matter fairly because those who came down to the field are elected representatives, not government employees. We see what the people’s problems are. I agree with Lenggong.”
Today’s debate session was participated in by 21 MPs.
The Dewan Rakyat sitting continues tomorrow. — Bernama