Wong: Every single sen spent on MRP, RTP accounted for

KUCHING: Every single sen allocated for minor rural projects ( MRP) and rural transformation projects ( RTP) is accounted for, said Second Finance Minister Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh.

He said the disbursement of MRP and RTP funds was done through the Resident’s Office and state Public Works Department (JKR), scrutinised by various government agencies and approved by the Chief Minister himself.

“So every sen is accounted for,” he said when responding to Chong Chieng Jen ( DAP-Kota Sentosa) who sought a point of clarification during the delivery of his ministerial winding-up speech in the august House yesterday.

Wong was dismayed at the opposition leader for using the term ‘slush fund’ during the sitting earlier when referring to the RM665 million fund set aside for Special Fund under Budget 2018.

“You ( Chong) used the word ‘slush’ for the Special Fund. Do you even know the meaning of slush fund? According to Oxford dictionary, slush fund refers to money used by a business company for the purpose of bribery. It is a serious allegation,” pointed out Wong.

The minister stressed that the state government had conducted its financial management in the most transparent and accountable manner.

He said Chong’s insinuation that the Special Fund was used as a slush fund “is a very serious allegation” against the state administration.

As such, he hoped that Chong would be more cautious with his choice of words when deliberating

You (Chong) used the word ‘slush’ for the Special Fund. Do you even know the meaning of slush fund? According to Oxford dictionary, slush fund refers to money used by a business company for the purpose of bribery. It is a serious allegation. Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh, Second Finance Minister

in the august House in the future.

“I hope member for Kota Sentosa, in future, would choose more appropriate words, otherwise you will be contravening Standing Order all right,” added Wong.

In his bid to seek further clarification, Chong read out the definition of slush fund by the Financial Times: “A slush fund can be any sum of money gathered and set aside as a reserve. In politics or in the corporate world the term slush fund is often used to describe money raised from a secret or illegitimate source and/or used for fraudulent or unpopular purposes.”

Asserting that the term slush fund came with a wide meaning, he asked the minister whether the MRP and RTP funds were given out during election times to entice voters to vote for Barisan Nasional ( BN).

“If the minister is so confident that the MRP and RTP funds are disbursed properly, then disclose it to the public. You don’t hide it and tell people everything is proper. Why fear if there is nothing to hide?”

Chong said the government ought to make the disbursement of funds transparent otherwise he could not help but wonder “how much ends up at the SUPP ( Sarawak United People’s Party) branch office”.

Earlier, Chong told the august House that Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian, who is SUPP president, had been telling Sarawakians through the local dailies that all BN elected representatives were each given MRP and RTP funds worth RM9 million for this year alone.

In his response, Wong reiterated that the state government had a proper process of implementation.

“We implement it annually and not just before or after elections. We have funds for the needy and deserving among the rakyat. It is done in a completely transparent manner,” he added.

He also informed the august House that Chong must have made the allegation in a deliberate manner to mislead the community and to ridicule the state’s financial management.

He said Chong’s wild allegation against the state government was neither proper conduct nor upholding good parliamentary practice and principle.

Continuing with his windingup speech, Wong said the RM665million Special Fund consisted of allocations for MRP, RTP and Special Development Assistance Fund.

“These allocations are meant for small programmes and projects mainly in rural areas that will benefit the rakyat directly,” he added.