Selangor opposition leader gets special perks

SHAH ALAM: Selangor opposition leader Datuk Mohd Shamsudin Lias has been granted special privileges, including an official vehicle and a monthly allowance of RM3,000.
In addition to a Toyota Camry and monthly allowance, Shamsudin will also get an allocation to hire a driver and a working secretary. The allocation for all benefits amounts to RM100,424 per year.
Speaker Hannah Yeoh said that the privileges and facilities for the state opposition leader was agreed upon during a meeting under the Select Committee for Special Dewan Management on Aug 24,2013 and was tabled and approved in the state assembly sitting on Dec 2 last year.
"The privileges and facilities are given to enable him to carry out his duties more effectively," she said.
She said the privilege, which was approved as part of the Selangor legislative enactment, is an effort by the state government to celebrate the democratic parliament practice in the country.
"This would make Selangor the second state after Penang to recognise the effort by the state opposition leader, but it is the first to give the highest allowance to the opposition leader of RM3,000 per month," she told a press conference here outside the state legislative building today.
It was reported that in Penang, opposition head Datuk Jahara Hamid was given a raise in her monthly allowance from RM1,000 to RM2,000 in its sitting in December last year.
When approached by reporters, Shamsudin expressed his appreciation to the state government for providing the car and privileges, and said he would do his best to serve his constituency.