KUALA LUMPUR, June 27 — The Rural and Regional Development Ministry should retract its decision to only provide development funds for villages in Pakatan Harapan-led states, says Setiawangsa MP Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad.
The coalition’s youth chief told Malay Mail that having a separate allocation for Opposition-held states would not differentiate the “new Malaysia” from the previous administration under Barisan Nasional.
He said it is vital for Pakatan Harapan to show that the present-day government respects and cares for all including those residing in what are deemed Opposition states including Pahang, Terengganu, Kelantan and Perlis.
“We should just streamline the system, unlike what the previous Barisan government did through their Jawatankuasa Kemajuan dan Keselamatan Kampung — Persekutuan (JKKK-P) initiative.
“We must respect the villagers who voted for the Opposition — Barisan, PAS, what-have-yous — instead of practicing this winner-takes-all approach,” he said when contacted today.
Nik Nazmi was referring to an announcement made by minister Rina Harun today who said that Putrajaya has allocated RM100 million for the development of some 16,000 villages in the country.
The Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia lawmaker said, however, the funds would first be disbursed to Pakatan-led states in the meantime, while the Ministry works on a new mechanism for other states within a month.
