SHAH ALAM - Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman has slammed the government for withholding allocations from opposition MPs, calling it unjust and unfair.
Speaking during the Sinar Discourse Edition 447 titled "Nak Peruntukan Kena Lari?" at the Karangkraf Group Complex, Syed Saddiq urged Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to reconsider this approach, given his own past experiences of political mistreatment.
"If that's what the Prime Minister intends, it's difficult because I must maintain a positive outlook.
"Usually, those who have navigated the intricacies of politics do not repeat the injustices they've endured onto others.
"I hope he takes a moment; perhaps some advisors are not offering the best counsel.
"The action is unjust, but I hope the Prime Minister's humanity will eventually bring about change," he said.
The programme was hosted by Ismail Adnan and featured two other panellists: Pulai MP Suhaizan Kayat and IDEAS' Democracy and Governance Unit Senior Manager Aira Azhari.
In a related matter, Syed Saddiq stressed that funding is crucial not only for the welfare of the people but also for parliamentary service centres, which need resources to operate, including paying staff salaries and supporting researchers.
"This is essential for nurturing an effective opposition that can provide balanced scrutiny and argue based on facts as suggested by the government.
"However, the reality today is that if you are in the government's seat, you receive RM20 million per segment and hundreds of thousands to open service centres for the people, but for the Opposition, it's empty.
"Ultimately, it cannot be realised and will impact the quality of debate in the chamber," he added.