14-05-2025
- Politics
- Free Malaysia Today
Reformasi once at coffee shops, now in hotels, says Wong Chen
Subang MP Wong Chen has highlighted a shift in expectations among PKR members, saying they now want party events to be hosted at comfortable venues.
KUALA LUMPUR : PKR MP Wong Chen has questioned the source of funds used to hold party events, lamenting that such events never used to be so lavish in the past.
Speaking at a book launch here today, the Subang MP highlighted a shift in expectations among PKR members, saying they now want party events to be hosted at comfortable venues.
Noting an increasing use of hotels for political events, Wong questioned the source of funding for such gatherings.
'In the past, our reformasi events were held at coffee shops and huts (pondok). Now, they're in hotels. Where's the money coming from? I honestly don't know,' he said.
He said his salary of RM16,000 a month was barely enough to support his family, let alone fund political activities or events.
'We're underpaid for the expenses we bear, especially in hiring staff and running our constituencies,' he said, suggesting that Malaysia follow Singapore's model of higher salaries for elected officials.
He was speaking at the launch of the book Misgovernance: Grand Corruption in Malaysia by Center to Combat Corruption and Cronyism chairman Edmund Terence Gomez.
Wong also called for a fairer allocation of constituency development funds, which are currently not given to opposition MPs.
'Malaysia has rural areas and unique political needs, so we still need these funds – about RM3.5 million annually – for MPs to carry out community work. But the opposition must also receive them,' he said.
He warned that opposition MPs might be tempted to defect for political gain without equitable funding.
