KUCHING, July 16 — Sarawak Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah today denied having called any state assemblyman a beggar.

The Asajaya assemblyman, however, stressed that the phrase "beggars can’t be choosers” which he uttered was referred to the opposition’s action of questioning the quantum of allocation given out to them.

"Previously, we (the state government) did not provide any allocation to the opposition. However, this time around, we give the allocation equally. Do not question the quantum of the allocation.

"I would like to stress that we are assemblymen not MPs, hence the phrase "beggars can’t be choosers”...I don’t think we should apologise over the matter,” he told a special press conference after the state assembly sitting here today.

He was commenting on the "beggars cannot be choosers” issue which was raised by Pelawan assemblyman David Wong during the winding up session at the sitting.

Previously, it was reported that Sentosa assemblyman Chong Chieng Jen had called on the state government to reciprocate what the Pakatan Harapan-led federal government had done for Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) members of Parliament (MPs).

According to Chong who is also Sarawak DAP chairman, there would be two types of allocation given by the federal government to elected representatives in the country namely, a total of RM200,000 per annum for all MPs for the running of their service centres and a RM500,000 to PH MPs, as well as RM100,000 for opposition MPs.

Chong thus said he hoped that Sarawak government would give allocation to PH assemblymen as well.

In response to the call by Chong, Abdul Karim, who is also  Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu Sarawak vice-president said: "beggars cannot be choosers”. — Bernama