The Malaysian Insider | July 28, 2011

KUALA LUMPUR, July 28 — The government will approve an immediate RM100,000 grant for constituencies after Barisan Nasional (BN) lawmakers complained to ministers on Monday that the administration’s focus on big-ticket projects in the Klang Valley would not help the coalition in the next general election.

The Malaysian Insider understands that Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin (picture) had promised the MPs the RM100,000 meant for constituency projects during his meeting with 100 BN federal lawmakers on Monday night.

The sum is expected to be dispersed in time for the Hari Raya Puasa holiday.

Lawmakers had told Muhyiddin and other ministers at the dinner meeting that the government must ensure more funds trickle down to their constituencies instead of concentrating on big-ticket projects like the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) construction in Kuala Lumpur if the ruling coalition wants to receive a strong mandate in the next general election.

According to some of the MPs present at the dinner, many of their colleagues had questioned the value of the MRT project to BN’s campaign for the next general election.

They pointed out that Kuala Lumpur was an opposition hotbed, but would be receiving the bulk of the government’s development expenditure announced in recent years.

Many of the MPs argued for a more even distribution of public funds, especially to their constituencies.

The arguments appear to be a reflection of a tougher economic environment and part of concerns that by concentrating its funds on Kuala Lumpur the BN coalition could end up alienating its own voters.

As a reflection of concerns over the economy, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak announced yesterday his seventh National Key Results Area (NKRA) to curb the rising cost of living.

Food and fuel prices have risen steadily since Najib took office in 2009 and the complains from BN MPs reflect concerns that the economy is set to be a major issue in elections.

It is understood that some BN leaders present at the Monday meeting had requested an extra RM1 million in allocation of funds on top of the estimated RM1 million usually allocated annually and signed by the district officer of a particular constituency.

“There was a general feeling that it (MRT project) is costly, and that the money could be used for the time being for constituencies for smaller projects. One MP needs millions to do a project in his or her constituency,” a BN source told The Malaysian Insider.

There is controversy over the estimated cost of the MRT project, which some reports have pegged to be as high as RM50 billion, although the authorities have said the cost cannot be finalised until the MRT alignment is confirmed.

Speculation is rife that Najib may call snap elections as soon as November or early next year because of an uncertain global economic outlook.