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Seventeen Pakatan Harapan (PH) assemblymen and two constituency coordinators in Negeri Sembilan have been ordered to return state allocations totalling more than RM3 million, after the funds were disbursed just two days before the state assembly was dissolved.
Newly appointed Menteri Besar Datuk Ismail Lasim said the decision was finalised at the state executive council meeting on Wednesday (26 Aug).
Seven former exco members, including the previous menteri besar, Datuk Seri Aminuddin Harun, are each on the hook for RM150,000.
Ten other PH assemblymen must return RM174,000 apiece, while the coordinators for Labu and Paroi owe RM150,000 each.
The allocations were approved by the state exco on 3 June.
The funds were transferred into the assemblymen’s accounts on the 4 June. The Negeri Sembilan state assembly was dissolved the following day, 5 June.
Ismail said the assemblymen lost their authority to use the funds for constituency welfare once the assembly was dissolved, since they no longer held an active mandate.
He said a formal letter demanding repayment will be issued, giving the assemblymen 30 days to return the money.
Arul Kumar: Funds Already Spent on Community Needs
Nilai assemblyman J. Arul Kumar has pushed back against the state government’s demand, clarifying that all unspent allocations were returned to the Menteri Besar’s Office before July 10.
The DAP Negeri Sembilan chairman strongly urged the Negeri Sembilan state government to reconsider its directive ordering Pakatan Harapan (PH) assemblymen to return the entirety of their quarterly constituency allocations.
According to Arul Kumar, the disbursed funds were already channelled to community needs, including schools, residents’ associations, places of worship, and village development committees, and were not used for personal purposes or political campaigns.
He confirmed that the assemblymen had fully complied with initial directives by submitting detailed financial reports and returning any remaining unspent balances well ahead of the deadline.
Arul Kumar noted that returning the full amount would be difficult because the quarterly allocations had already been legally utilised for public assistance.
He intends to meet with Ismail to seek clarification and review the distribution records.
The allocation has drawn scrutiny beyond PH’s own ranks.
Negeri Sembilan MCA chairman Datuk Law Kok Chan questioned why 14 Barisan Nasional assemblymen who were still part of the unity government at the time did not receive a similar allocation, and called on PH leaders to disclose the guidelines and legal basis for the payout.
Two Urimai Negeri Sembilan representatives had earlier lodged a report with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) on 30 June, alleging abuse of power and misuse of public funds over the RM3.06 million allocation.
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READ MORE: Wong Chen Resigns As Subang MP, Citing Loss Of Constituency Fund Access
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