Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak has allocated RM8.5 billion to the Prime Minister's Department to be spent at his discretion, claimed Pakatan Harapan's economic committee.

In the Budget 2016 tabled by Najib in his capacity as finance minister, RM20.3 billion was allocated to the department compared with RM19 billion in 2015, said Liew Chin Tong (DAP-Kluang).

According to him, seven ambiguous allocations totalling RM8.5 billion have been given to the department without their real purpose being known.

"Such allocation, or dana suka hati will be spent at Najib's discretion," Liew (photo) told reporters at the Parliament's lobby today.

He also wanted the allocation to be retracted from the 2016 Budget.

"This consists 42 percent of the total allocation to the department or three percent of total Budget.

"Such allocations will allow the prime minister to politicise aid by giving out projects or funds to only those with political connections at the top level," he said.

This practice, which started in 2009, should be stopped, he said.

Reveal beneficiaries

The allocations include a RM3 billion allocation for a'facility fund', RM1.3 billion for 'people-friendly projects', RM309 million for 'special projects', RM750 million for 'community restructuring', RM2.42 billion for 'Fifth Corridor development', RM127 million for poverty eradication programmes and RM610 million for development programmes.

"It is not appropriate for Najib who holds such wide powers to decide on the usage of the funds without the Cabinet first approving them," he said.

"The committee urges the federal government to reveal the full list of the funds' beneficiaries," said Liew.