Penang govt to allocate RM40,000 to each opposition assemblymen

The Penang government will provide an allocation of RM40,000 a year to finance small development projects to each opposition assemblyman from next year.

Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said the decision had been discussed during the state executive council meeting last Wednesday (Sept 18) and was approved.

"After the mechanism for the allocation is decided, it will be tabled in the 2014 Budget in the State Assembly at the end of the year," he said in a statement today.

He said previously the state government had tried to invite opposition assemblymen to become state executive councillors (Excos) to enable them to serve and receive allocations but the offer was rejected.

"The state government wants Umno assemblyman to become Excos for fear that they will not follow standard operating procedures on competitive tenders, integrity and the prohibition on involvement of family members of the leaders in transactions with the government," he said.