A Selangor backbencher today asked for the monthly basic allowance for state assemblypersons to be increased to RM10,000 from the current RM4,112.79.

Ng Suee Lim (DAP-Sekinchan) said the current allowance was insufficient for a state assemblyperson to carry out daily tasks and visiting constituents.

“For all you know, they (assemblypersons) will probably have to borrow from Ah Long (loan sharks) just to send their children to pursue studies in the university because children of assemblypersons may not be eligible for  National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) study loans,” he said when debating the Supply Bill 2011 at the state assembly sitting in Shah Alam today.

He also said the daily allowance of RM75 given to the assemblypersons to attend meetings should be increased to RM200, while the hotel allowance of RM100 per night was not enough to cover the room rate at a five-star hotel, including the Grand Blue Wave Hotel in Shah Alam which charged a government rate of RM180.

Meanwhile, Selangor Menteri Besar Abdul Khalid Ibrahim when winding up the debate said he would compare the basic allowance for assemblypersons in other states before making any decision on the matter.

He said the basic monthly allowance for the assemblypersons was equivalent to the salary of a driver in Singapore.

- Bernama