‘Not one sen of RTP fund ever goes into my pocket’
KANOWIT: Machan assemblyman Allan Siden Gramong strongly denies the accusation of him ‘ pocketing’ the allocation under the Rural Transformation Programme ( RTP) grant meant for his constituency.
He clarifies that that any RTP allocation would never be channelled directly to the assemblyman – instead the fund would go straight to the government agency tasked with the project implementation.
“For example – Rumah Ramba needs a road to be built ( leading) to the longhouse.
“I will submit this information, together with the estimated cost of the project, to the implementing agencies like the Public Works Department ( PWD), which will carry out the works to get the road done.
“I hope nobody would misunderstand this because I know that this issue has been played up by the opposition.
“Not even one sen of the RM5million RTP allocation goes into my pocket,” he said during a pre- Christmas gathering at Rumah Banying Melina in Nanga Sesawa, Bukong here on Saturday, where the assemblyman also presented Minor Rural Project ( MRP) allocations totalling RM1 million to 240 recipients and also service extension certificates to 35 longhouse chieftains and Chinese Kapitans in Machan.
Adding on, Allan also advised contractors appointed for RTP projects in Machan to carry out the works according to specifications.
“( This is) because I would get the blame from the people should you (contractors) fail to follow the specifications.
“This has happened before,” he pointed out.
Allan’s parents – former Machan assemblyman Datuk Gramong Juna and Datin Catherine Gramong – Kanowit District Officer Kathreen Eddie Saga, political secretary to chief minister Petrus Igat and acting Kanowit District police chief Mohd Faizal Nawi were also present at the event.