GEORGE TOWN, March 29 — The RM60,000 allocation for each of the four constituencies under Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) assemblymen will be channelled to the constituents through the district offices.

Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said the state has not removed or reduced the allocation for the constituents but the funds would not be channelled directly through the Bersatu assemblymen.

He said the constituents voted for Pakatan Harapan (PH) in the 14th general election but the four assemblymen then defected to Perikatan Nasional and betrayed the people.

“We had initially wanted to give the allocation to them like how we continued giving allocations to the three Opposition assemblymen in Umno and PAS but upon further consideration, we decided not to channel the allocation to the four PN assemblymen,” he said in a press conference in response to the four assemblymen’s boycott of the state’s engagement session for state assemblymen today.

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He said the funds will be channelled through “foster assemblymen” for the four constituencies; Seberang Jaya, Sungai Acheh, Bertam and Teluk Bahang.

The individual allocation for the four constituencies was the same as that going to each PH constituency, Chow added

He said the constituents should not be penalised for their assemblymen’s betrayal.

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“The four assemblymen are also getting allocation from the PN government, which I believe is a large sum so there was no issue of them not having any allocation for their constituencies,” he said.

He denounced the four assemblymen for boycotting the engagement session as it was meant for them to question and criticise the state excos and raise any outstanding issues on behalf of their constituents.

“This session is to allow check and balance in replacement of the State Legislative Assembly which could not be held during the emergency,” he said.

He hoped the four will change their mind and attend the afternoon session today and another full day session tomorrow.

The four assemblymen who boycotted the session today are Dr Afif Bahardin (Seberang Jaya), Zulkifli Ibrahim (Sungai Acheh), Khaliq Mehtab Mohd Ishaq (Bertam) and Zolkifly Md Lazim (Teluk Bahang).

They issued a statement citing the withdrawal of the allocation as the main reason for the boycott.