Wong shoots down Chong’s claim
Minister explains where the RM250 million devt fund has gone, chides DAP rep for ignorance
Upon the closing of 2015 accounts, an amount of RM572.8 million was spent while the un-utilised allocation of RM333.1 million has, in fact, remained intact in the Consolidated Fund.
KUCHING: The allegations made by Chong Chieng Jen ( DAP-Kota Sentosa) that RM250 million approved by the state government for minor rural projects (MRPs) in 2015 has ‘obviously gone missing and not accounted for’ is totally baseless.
In refuting Chong’s accusation, Second Finance Minister Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh stressed that the state government had complied fully with the relevant fi nancial rules and regulations in the allocation of the fund.
He informed the State Legislative Assembly that for 2015, the revised budget of RM905.9 million inclusive of the supplementary allocation of RM250 million was meant for the implementation of both MRPs and rural transformation projects.
“For the informat ion of members, an annual budget is just a provision or allocation to enable us to implement approved programmes and projects.
“Pursuant to Section 8 and Section 9 of the Development Funds Act 1966, before any expenditure can be committed, a warrant shall be issued to authorise allocation for expenditure from Development Fund Account,” he said in his ministerial winding- up speech yesterday.
He added that pursuant to Section 7 of the same Act, every appropriation for development purposes shall lapse and cease to have any effect at the close of one calendar month following the financial year, and no payment shall be made of the appropriation during that month except in respect of work performed, goods received, services rendered or any other contractual arrangement made prior to the end of that year and properly chargeable to the accounts of that year.
Wong also cited the Treasury Instruction 6(ii) which stipulates ‘ that any money appropriated for a particular purpose in the warrant shall be surrendered to the Consolidated Fund if not spent on that purpose during the period for which it was granted’.
“Upon the closing of 2015 accounts, an amount of RM572.8 million was spent while the unutilised allocation of RM333.1 million has, in fact, remained intact in the Consolidated Fund,” he said, adding that the State Public Accounts for 2015 had been duly audited and accorded a clean bill of health by the AuditorGeneral.
Wong said Chong’s allegations once again showed his ignorance of f inancial procedure and regulation.
“All I can say is that this is his usual attempt to tarnish the image of our chief minister and to discredit the State Financial Management in order to promote his political agenda.”
He said that Chong’s action must be seen to have abused the privilege accorded to him as a member of the august House.
“His action constituted contempt of the Dewan under Section 24( 2)(o) of the Dewan Undangan Negeri ( Privileges and Powers), Ordinance 2007, and had to be dealt with severely. A motion was therefore moved to suspend him immediately for the rest of the session.
“We have no choice but to do so in order to uphold the decorum and good parliamentary practices and tradition of this august House,” he said.
On Nov 21, Speaker Datuk Amar Mohd Asf ia Awang Nassar suspended Chong for the rest of session for making an unsubstantiated, baseless and misleading allegation.
Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh, Second Finance Minister