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Azhar rejects RM1,000 monthly allowance given by Pakatan State Government

Posted by admin

Friday, 14 November 2008 16:37

Penang Oppposition Leader Datuk Azhar Ibrahim has rejected the RM1,000 monthly allowance allocated by the Pakatan Rakyat state government for the position.

Azhar said he would confirm his rejection of the allowance at the State Legislative Assembly sitting on Monday.

The provision for the allowance is contained in the Administrative and State Legislative Assembly Members Enactment (Emolument) (Amendment) 2008 which was unanimously passed by the assembly yesterday.

Azhar, who is also the state Umno liaison secretary, however, thanked the state government, especially Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, for the initiative.

“I appreciate the offer but I am rejecting the allowance and giving it back to the state government,” he told reporters after the state 2009 Budget was tabled at today’s assembly sitting.

He said the rejection was made based on several factors, including the unfavourable current economic situation, hence it was more appropriate for the money to be used for the people.

Azhar said he also did not want to feel obligated to the state government and stifled from voicing out his opinions if he were to accept the allowance.

“In this matter, let me feel indebted to the people and not to the state government which will stifle my freedom to speak out. “Thirdly, I do not want to be made a point of reference by other state governments in considering giving an allowance to their opposition leaders,” he said.

Asked for other factors for the rejection, Azhar said: “It is a personal decision and has nothing to do with the party or members.

“The allowance is for my personal use and the amount is not an issue.”

- BERNAMA

Comments (28) Add Comment

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written by justice, November 14, 2008 16:39:54

It's not that they don't want this monthly allowance lah, just that RM1,000 is an insult to them compared to what they got through corruption.

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written by Rainbowseahorse, November 14, 2008 16:50:45

The amount is too little for him, lah!
But it's ok! Guan Eng should simply write him a nice "Thank you" letter for his "generosity" and promptly add that amount towards eradication of poverty in Penang...Then Guan Eng should make a "big fuss" of Azhar's kind gestures to induce other MPs to do the same.
smilies/grin.gif

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written by asiseesit, November 14, 2008 16:50:46

sorry azhar, rm1,000 not enough? how about rm10,000?

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written by binarytan, November 14, 2008 16:52:32

LGE, better give the 1000 to the poor people.

BN does not need 1000 for survival, they need multi-million to survive. May be 1000 is a peanut to them.

If you give 1000 to a poor people, they will say thank you very much as it really means a lot to them.

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written by AuntyG, November 14, 2008 17:00:15

Good, please give the RM1,000 to the needy and many people will be so grateful. The Goonies need to plunder millions also never enough to 'eat' one. Let them 'fast fast eat, fast fast finish" ...

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written by AuntyG, November 14, 2008 17:03:08

You give RM1,000 to ONE Goonie, he won't be happy.
You give RM1,000 to 10 hardcore poor, you make 10 people happy.
You get rid of the so-called-elite bunch of Goonies, you make 26 million happy !!

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written by hiro, November 14, 2008 17:08:17

It's interesting that he thinks he will be beholden to the government. It's such an UMNO attitude. Why can't he see it as an entitlement as an opposition leader - a recognised function in a democracy? He does not need to be beholden to it if he uses the money in a charitable way - it's really up to him. And it's not like the Penang government is going to begrudge him if he only profits himself from the allowance.

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written by Anak_Asia, November 14, 2008 17:14:59

Not sure whether he will accept if the allowance is RM 100k per month ??

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written by Lim Lim, November 14, 2008 17:16:31

in a way,azhar might be of the feeling that this amount of rm1000 is too little to him,this would be jus a chicken feed as far as he is concerned!
however,his decision to return that money back to the state gorvment could be jus nice as a saving anyway!agreed.

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written by fairnessforall, November 14, 2008 17:17:04

What is RM1,000 to these UMNO goons when they make millions by corruption. He is just rejecting it because its RM1,000. I bet if it were RM10,000 he would accept it greedily.

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written by Rasputin, November 14, 2008 17:40:50

By rejecting and mentioning that by accepting the allowance will curtails his prowess as opposition voice to the State government starkly showing the natural instinct of umno beholden mentality - If you pay me, I will kowtow to you by bending forward and backward inclusive of doing a sommersault in the nude if the amount motivating enough to substantiate the act!

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written by asiseesit, November 14, 2008 17:46:24

giving it back to the government is not going to impact anything. Azhar, why don't you take the allowance and use it to help 10 poor people a month.

each year you be helping 120 poor people. by the time your tenure ends, you would have help 5,760 poor people.

OR

donate that allowance to a different charity organization every month.

isn't this better than to give it back to the state government which will be diluted into other policies and projects funds.

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written by alpha100, November 14, 2008 17:49:07

I am not surprised! Even if something good, as long as its from opposite camp; one just cannot accept it without some hoo hah! Pride, ego always get in the way! Also to show powess to his members!
Anyway, cheers to PR! Way to go! U start something good! All PR control states and even BN control should follow suit! Does'not matter if opposing camp reject! Anyway, the rejection is never sincere in itself!
PR continue to show the way! May God guide PR in right path!

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written by thor, November 14, 2008 17:49:28

Was this the guy who asked that the journalist be shot for publishing the "pendatang" remark by the Mad Cow, who was recently awarded the hero's welcome, kissing the keris.

Their mentality is really amazing, does one needs to beholden to anyone, if that means going against our CONSCIENCE? Is this the mindset of AMENO and its Insignificant Others? If u see a WRONG been done WILL u keep QUIET bcos U R BEHOLDEN? Mana ada Character, Integrity and Substance, kalo dgn mindset ini?

GOD SAVE OUR PEOPLE FROM THE WOLVES

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written by asiseesit, November 14, 2008 17:51:17

what is rm1,000 when this decision can make him more popular to get more support. small sacrifice compares to the millions he can get.

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written by educationist, November 14, 2008 18:11:33

I will not impute ulterior and ignoble motives to his refusing the allowance.
As matter stands , his reasons are reasonable and noble.
So, let the state government channel that RM1000 towards helping some additional 3 poor families.

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written by onnetline, November 14, 2008 18:23:56

Lim Guan Eng,

This amount is an insult to the him compared to the corrupted politics in UMNO !

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written by Sabahfan, November 14, 2008 18:45:35

OF COURSE everyone is right...

RM1000 cant even buy this corrupted guy one girl for a night in his hotel, thats Y....

ONe k ringgit is just 10 cts for them....

they are already spending something like 10k per day on personal effects..one K is really 10 cts...

another way of seing this is..

1. guilty conscience that they never gave opposition Ybs anything in the last 50 years.. winner takes all is the greed of UMNO party..

2. They think they will win Penang back maybe by importing more polipin voters as they did in Sabah.. so they think when they win, they dont have to give DAP oppostiion leader any allowance..

SO THE SOLUTION? MAKE SURE UMNO IS FULLY DEAD IN PENANG COME NEXT ELECTION....

THAT IS THE KEY PEOPLE...

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written by binkah1, November 14, 2008 19:35:56

Good gesture, donate it to the poor then. smilies/grin.gif

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written by maverick, November 14, 2008 20:05:00

yeah, don't take it.

use it to feed the dogs at SPCA is even much better.

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