The special lottery fund to aid victims of a viral outbreak in Bukit Pelanduk, Negeri Sembilan, three years ago was used to finance the recent South East Asian Games and the Formula One, said the Finance Ministry today.

In a written reply to DAP member of Parliament for Kota Melaka, Kerk Kim Hock, the ministry said that a total of RM217, 472,620. 06 including tax, was collected since the JE fund was set up in 1999.

However, the ministry did not specify how much of the above amount was used for both the sporting events.

Kerk later told malaysiakini that he was unhappy with the reply and questioned the government's "transparency and accountability" in handling the matter.

"Have we come to a stage where we have to use lottery money or charity to fund government projects?" he queried.

Kerk said the government's decision to use the money for the events was not made public and that the government had earlier said the fund was only meant for the victims of the outbreak.

In 1999, the government announced its move to collect RM500 million in compensation and credit package for the victims.

The outbreak which destroyed the pig farming industry in Bukit Pelanduk left 55 people and also saw the culling of some 400,000 pigs.

The outbreak initially believed to have been caused by the Japanese Encephalitis virus was later discovered to be a different virus dubbed the Nipah virus.

Not sufficient

Last month, pig farmers from Negeri Sembilan and Selangor lamented that their allocation from the lottery fund was not sufficient and urged the government to disburse the balance.

Kerk, who represented the group had said that the last deposit from such a draw took place in November last year but special lottery draws continue to take place without any announcement of their purpose.

"Huge sums were collected from each special draw," said Kerk who had also urged the government to explain to the public the purpose of such draws as they were no longer held to collect donations for the victims of the outbreak.