THE Penang government will wait for guidance from the national leadership on a proposal to introduce equal Constituency Development Fund (CDF) laws, Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said today.
Chow said the matter had been raised with him by DAP national chairman Gobind Singh Deo and would be discussed at the party’s national level before any decision is made.
“Gobind has contacted me. This matter will be taken up by our national leadership, so we will wait for any decision from the national leadership,” he said when asked about a recent proposal by a civil society group.
The group had urged the Penang and Selangor governments to consider introducing legislation to ensure equal constituency allocations.
Asked whether opposition assemblymen in Penang had formally conveyed the proposal to the state government, Chow said the issue of constituency allocations had been repeatedly raised by opposition representatives during State Legislative Assembly sittings.
“Every sitting they will raise it. They will ask for more allocation. We have allocation for opposition members and we have continued this for many years,” he said.
Chow added that opposition assemblymen in Penang currently receive RM60,000 each in constituency allocations.
On speculation that the 16th General Election could be called by the end of the year, Chow declined to comment on whether he would seek to defend the Batu Kawan parliamentary seat.
“It is too early to say. It’s premature,” he quipped.
Chow also said there had been no discussions with party grassroots members regarding his candidacy for the next general election.
On the arrest of five individuals, including the chairman of a government agency, over the alleged abuse of power involving the disposal of eight plots of land in Penang, Chow said the matter should be left to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to investigate.
“Let the MACC investigate,” he said.