Malaysian MP to run 200km from Muar to KL over opposition funding disparity
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Malaysian Member of Parliament Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman will run from his ward in Muar, Johor, to Parliament in Kuala Lumpur.
PHOTO: THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
PETALING JAYA – Malaysian Member of Parliament Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman plans to run from his ward in Muar, Johor, to Parliament in Kuala Lumpur to protest against the lack of funding for opposition parliamentarians.
He intends to run 200km to raise funds under his “Langkah Muar” initiative, which funds his constituency’s community service centres.
“For more than a year, the opposition constituencies have not received allocations,” he said in a video posted on X.
He said government MPs get RM20 million (S$5.75 million) each term, but the opposition gets nothing.
“The government asks us to negotiate. I have met the Deputy Prime Minister twice and sent three letters, but there has been no progress.
“I cannot give up. Instead of complaining, it is better for me to take action,” he said.
Syed Saddiq is known for raising funds in attention-grabbing ways – by shaving his hair in the Bald Challenge Fund-raiser, conducting public speaking, debating and critical thinking classes, cooking and selling lasagna, and even modelling kurta for a brand.
“Now, I am using my legs to raise funds in Muar and as a form of protest,” he said.
In November 2023, Syed Saddiq was sentenced to seven years’ jail and two strokes of the cane, and fined RM10 million after being found guilty of embezzling funds belonging to his previous party, Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia.
The handsome politician, who holds the record as Malaysia’s youngest minister – he was 25 when appointed to the Cabinet in 2018 – stepped down as president of his youth-based party, the Malaysian United Democratic Alliance (Muda), hours after the conviction.
He has filed an appeal against the conviction.
On April 18, the unity government’s secretariat supreme leadership council decided in principle to consider allocating funds to opposition MPs.
On April 25, Deputy Prime Minister Fadillah Yusof said a memorandum of understanding draft will be provided to the opposition so they can determine if there is a need for further discussion, adding that the draft will be completed as soon as possible. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
