Opposition flip-flop under fire

Shafie: They’re playing with ‘haram’ and ‘halal’ handouts

SHAH ALAM: Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal hit out at the Opposition for labelling Barisan Nasional’s handouts as “haram” (unclean) but have themselves given out handouts.

“When we give, it’s haram but when they give in Kelantan, it’s halal,” he said.

“They use religion for their own political gain,” he said in his speech at the Selangor and the Federal Territories Community Development Department (Kemas) aid-giving ceremony yesterday.

Shafie also claimed that the Opposition was selective in giving to only those who supported them.

More than 900 former Kemas staff members in Selangor and the Federal Territories received RM3,000 cash aid each during the ceremony.

Shafie said 4,000 former Kemas staff members in eight states had received aid.

“The rest of the funds would be disbursed before the end of March,” he said.

The one-off aid was announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak while tabling Budget 2012 last year.

Asked to comment on Penampang Umno division chief Datuk John Ambrose’s request for Barisan to study the formula for the allocation of seats among the component parties for the general election, Shafie said he would leave it to the leadership.

“We are more prepared (for the election) this time than before and such things should be discussed with the component party leaders,” he said.