Pakatan Rakyat representatives are not barred from witnessing the disbursement of the RM100 in aid to students announced in Budget 2012, says  Deputy Education Minister Wee Ka Siong.

Clarifying this in the Parliament lobby today, Wee said the ministry’s directive makes no mention of the political affiliation of local leaders or elected representatives to be invited to such events.

NONE "The directive (has never stated) that Pakatan leaders are not allowed and that only certain leaders are to be invited ...,” he said.

“In directing that an elected representative be called, it does not state from which party. Not a single word says only BN representative can be invited.”

The directive, issued by ministry secretary-general Rosli Mohamed in a letter dated Nov 11, states that ‘elected representatives including Members of Parliament, state assemblypersons or leaders from the federal government’ are to be present when the money is distributed to students.

However, Wee acknowledged that schools are more likely to call BN leaders, since many of those in parent-teacher associations are members of the ruling coalition.

"(Also) 80 percent of school boards are made up of MCA members. If schools are short of funds, they go to MCA or Umno for help.”

‘BN left out in Penang’

Wee also pointed out that the DAP-led Penang government had not involved BN representatives when disbursing its RM100 aid to senior citizens.

"(BN has) never envied this... we understand this is the reality of politics," he said.

NONE Last week, PKR's Ampang MP Zuraida Kamaruddin revealed that aid for SK Ampang students had been disbursed at the Ampang Umno building by division chief Ismail Kijo.

Ismail when contacted admitted that this was done, but said it was to coincide with the school's Excellence Awards day, held there at the school's request.

He added that he has also disbursed the funds in several schools in Ampang, on invitation by the principals.

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