Cabinet members have been 'secretly' given an increase in their various allowances ranging from 50 to 160 percent backdated to January this year, an opposition Member of Parliament told the Dewan Rakyat today.

DAP MP for Kota Melaka Kerk Kim Hock said the increase would benefit all ministers, their deputies, parliamentary secretaries and political secretaries.

"The increase are for various existing perks such as monthly entertainment allowance, annual housing maintenance allowance, housing loans, car loans, domestic helper's allowance, winter clothing, black tie and ceremonial dress allowance as well as computer loans," he said.

Kerk said the quanta of the perks was revised in May and backdated to January this year adding that while the government could give its members more perks 'it should not be done in secret'.

"The Administration is allowed under the Members of Parliament Act to revise the perks but why the secrecy?" he queried.

"Whatever amendments to Schedule II of the 1980 Remuneration Act which deals with these benefits must be raised in Parliament," he added.

'Only assuming'

However, Minister in the Prime Minister Department Rais Yatim was noncommittal on the MP's claim and said that Kerk was 'only assuming things'.

Rais said that the government has applied Section 6(5) of the Act which gives power to the minister to approve privileges to Cabinet officials.

Kerk said information made available to him showed that the total amount of the prime minister's monthly allowances has been revised from RM8,500 to RM18,865, a hike of 121 per cent while the deputy prime minister's has been revised from RM7,000 to RM15,015.

The monthly entertainment allowance for ministers' has been increased from RM5,500 to RM8,600 while their deputies get RM6,000, which is RM3,200 more than the current RM2,800, he added.

Kerk told the House the yearly maintenance allowance which ministers received for their homes has been hiked from RM5,000 to RM10,000 while their deputies' allowance for this has been doubled from RM3,000 to RM6,000.

He added that parliamentary secretaries got an additional RM1,000 for their home maintenance while political secretaries, who previously did not get this allowance, would now receive RM,2000.

"The housing loans have also been revised. The Prime Minister and his deputy can borrow up to RM1 million to buy a house. Previously, the ceiling was RM500,000," said Kerk.

"Ministers are now eligible for RM600,000 while their deputies can take up to RM400,000. Earlier, ministers were eligible for RM400,000 and their deputies RM240,000," he added.

Kerk said parliamentary secretaries who were earlier eligible for a RM180,000 housing loan now could take up to RM300,000 while political secretaries could take RM200,000 against RM96,000 earlier.

Today is the final day of the current parliamentary session. The Dewan will sit again from Oct 8 for its annual Budget session.