“YOU DON'T BECOME AN MP TO BECOME RICH; YOU ARE ELECTED TO SERVE THE RAKYAT,” THOSE ASPIRING FOR WEALTH SHOULD GO INTO BUSINESS - KHALID

Stretching the $$$

Many MPs are finding it difficult to fund their service centres and activities due to rising costs.

October 23, 2011 : Every new school year, a Member of Parliament (MP) from Selangor finds himself approached by some of his constituents asking for funds to buy new shoes or schoolbags for their children.

He spends about RM20 on each child, a small amount but one which could snowball into quite a hefty sum depending on the number of students he ends up sponsoring.

“Once, I found I had only RM21 left in my bank account,” he claims.

Out and about: Kamalanathan trying to solve the drain problem in Kuala Kubu Baru. The former public relations practitioner says that he is able to survive on his allowance because of his simple lifestyle. — Filepic

The opposition MP employs a driver, a researcher and two assistants, paying them RM2,000, RM1,500 and RM800 respectively. All of this comes from his salary as a parliamentarian.

“Everyone thinks that MPs are rich, but this is not the case,” he laments.

His predicament is one faced by fellow MPs who, like everyone else, have to contend with rising costs.

MPs are given a monthly allowance of RM6,508.59 per month, in addition to other claims available to them under Statute Paper 235, including RM1,200 for a driver. In total, a Malaysian MP makes RM12,000 to RM14,000 monthly.

However, many MPs claim this amount is not enough to cover their expenses and pay for their staff.

In comparison, Singaporean MPs earn about RM34,000, Indonesian MPs RM18,000 and Thai MPs, RM12,000.

In the 2012 Budget, it was proposed that MP allowances be reviewed. However, Pakatan Rakyat leaders objected, saying that the time wasn't right to do so as the people were also facing difficulties in their everyday life.

The last review for Malaysian MPs was in 2005, when they were given a RM591.69 increase in allowance, from RM5,916.90.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz subsequently withdrew the Government's proposal to review the wages and allowances of MPs.

Azalina: ‘We are supposed to serve the rakyat but people expect everything to be done for free.’

Following this, Wee Choo Keong (Ind-Wangsa Maju) tabled a private member's Bill to review wages and allowances for MPs, saying that it was not something that could be simply withdrawn.

Wee submitted his Bill to Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia and Parliament secretary Datuk Roosme Hamzah at their office in Parliament last week.

“Most MPs are being stretched. If we want them to perform, they must not be under any financial burden,” he says.

He points out that it was the Pakatan who mooted the idea in the first place and claims that their own members are furious with the about-turn.

“Why object to it when you agreed to it in the first place?” Wee asks.

He employs one full-time and one part-time staff at his service centre, paying them RM2,500 each.

Wee, a lawyer, claims he cannot afford to hire a driver or researcher and does his own research.

He adds that a lot of people approach MPs for financial help.

“People assume that parliamentarians have the financial resources to help them. It has become a norm for schools and places of worship to ask MPs for donations,” he says, adding that donations could amount to RM1,000 for him each month.

Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (Ideas) chief executive Wan Saiful Wan Jan says it is not an appropriate time to increase the salaries of MPs but believes their allowance for researchers should be increased.

“It is essential to have good quality researchers so that they can debate based on facts and not speculation,” he adds.

He also sees the need to correct one's perception of MPs as there is a tendency for the people to expect their MPs to solve clogged drains and faulty lights, issues that should come under the purview of the municipal councils.

“MPs are doing things that are not within their scope. It's just ridiculous sometimes.”

Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said (BN-Pengerang) says that travelling costs can be expensive.

Wee: ‘If we want them (MPs) to perform, they must not be under any financial burden.’

In her case, a trip from KL to her constituency in Johor could cost about RM400, including petrol and toll. While mileage is claimable, she points out that the bill for car maintenance is foot by the MP.

The former Tourism Minister has one assistant in Kuala Lumpur and two in her constituency. She also hires a driver.

“The MP is like a one-stop centre for everything. We are supposed to serve the rakyat but people expect everything to be done for free,” she says.

In addition, MPs are expected to give presents and donations at weddings and other functions.

Azalina admits that being a minister and an MP is a different ball game together. When she was minister, her travel costs and car were taken care off. Now she has to fork out money for all these expenses.

“Philosophically, we are doing service for the rakyat but honestly, everything has a price,” she says, suggesting the lowering of toll or fuel for MPs.

She also rubbishes claims that parliamentarians get contracts that make them rich.

“It is even wrong to receive a hamper. Everyone is watching you,” she says.

Charles Santiago (DAP-Klang) hopes MPs could get funds for support staff such as policy advisers and researchers.

The former economist and activist says he sometimes has to stay up until 3am to do his own research.

“It can be very stressful. We need the money to improve effectiveness,” he says.

MPs in Selangor, he notes, are luckier as they are given RM50,000 for office and RM100,000 for development works. The amount, however, is only sufficient for about six months.

Still it is a consolation, as he points out that “opposition MPs in other states don't get anything”.

But despite having to stretch their money and resources, he says they turned down the proposal for a hike in allowance to show solidarity with the people.

Khalid: ‘Why do we deserve a pay raise if we don’t perform?’

Ngeh Koo Ham (DAP-Beruas) says that an allocation for small projects would be most welcomed, referring to the yearly RM1mil allocation BN MPs get for projects.

He says that DAP MPs have to contribute 10% to 25% of their allowance to the party, depending on whether they are full-time or part-time politicians. Almost all his allowance, he adds, goes into running the service centres.

He spends about RM12,000 to run three service centres with five workers, whom he admits are poorly paid.

He also employs two political secretaries with MBA qualification, who get paid about RM2,000 each.

While one has his own business, the other gives tuition at night to supplement her income.

While Ngeh himself is a lawyer, he says there are many others who are full-time MPs and don't have another source of income.

“To be fair, the MPs should be able to at least take home their pay. They also have instalments to pay and families to feed,” he adds.

P. Kamalanathan (BN-Hulu Selangor) drives himself or gets help from his colleagues to drive around his constituency.

“Let's be practical. No one is going to work as a driver for RM1,200,” he says.

The former public relations practitioner says that he is able to survive because of his simple lifestyle.

Like other people, he also has monthly instalments to pay. Fortunately, his wife works too and can support herself.

“If we had kids, we could be struggling,” he says.

He bemoans the fact that the Opposition leaders rejected the proposal, claiming they are hypocrites as the Selangor government recently increased the salaries of its assemblymen.

“Why the double standards? Aren't there poor people in Selangor as well?” he queries.

Khalid Samad (PAS-Shah Alam), however, says that the Selangor assemblymen have been performing well while Parliament has not performed, pointing to the deficit budget.

“Why do we deserve a pay raise if we don't perform?” asks Khalid.

He pays his personal assistant, an ex-military serviceman, about RM1,700. His office rental and electricity cost more than RM3,000 monthly. He has a part-time driver whom he pays only RM500 and four divisional assistants getting RM250 each.

“You don't become an MP to become rich; you are elected to serve the rakyat,” he says, adding that those aspiring for wealth should go into business.

But he sympathises with younger MPs who might have more difficulties juggling their finances.

The former oil and gas man admits that as a veteran, he is more comfortable than others as his property loan has been settled.