Unelected parliamentary coordinators operating in Penang constituencies lost by BN are paid a monthly salary of RM5,860 from the federal coffers, a parliamentary written reply reveals.

In a reply to Bayan Baru MP Sim Tze Tsin, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Shahidan Kassim said they are paid RM5,860 a month, while state constituency coordinators are paid RM3,630 a month.

NONE According to Shahidan, the total amount paid for parliamentary and state constituency coordinators for Penang from 2009 to May 2013 totalled RM7.25 million.

In response, Sim said that this should put the pay of the MPs into perspective.

“So you think the MP's salary is too high? Think again. The elected MP's salary is RM6,508.59. BN non-elected parliament coordinators salary is RM5,860. The difference is just RM828.

“Seriously, I don’t even know who is the Bayan Baru (parliamentary) coordinator. Do they ever work for the rakyat or are just taking gaji buta ?” Sim asked.

He said the salaries are “hidden in the Implementation and Coordination Unit”, which is under the Prime Minister’s Department, but the appointments are “political” in nature.

“Today, (Defence Minister) Hishammuddin Hussein said the pay hike for Selangor representatives shows Pakatan Rakyat only looks after its own welfare and not the people’s.

“Then what about this? Their people, who have lost elections, are given a salary for the next five years (after the polls), without even a proper job scope,” Sim said when contacted.

The Implementation and Coordination Unit is a federal unit that monitors federal projects at state level.

These coordinators are appointed by the federal government to look after parliamentary and state constituencies that the BN failed to capture.

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