KUALA LUMPUR: The DAP today failed in a bid to slash RM10 from the salary of Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop for his "unsatisfactory" answer regarding allocations for the Bandar Kuching constituency.

Bandar Kuching Member of Parliament (MP) Chong Chieng Jen's motion today was rejected by voice vote after Barisan Nasional (BN) and Pakatan Rakyat (PR) MPs exchanged barbs over the issue.

The motion was an apparent attempt to punish Nor Mohamed (Tasek Gelugor-BN) for what Chong claimed were unsatisfactory responses to the latter's question on allocation of funds meant for the Bandar Kuching constituency.

Chong said the allocations were channelled to non-governmental organisations (NGOs), including mosque and surau council committees, outside his parliamentary constituency.

Reading from Nor Mohamed's earlier answer to his question, Chong said the former had informed Dewan Rakyat that about RM100,000 of the RM610,000 set aside for the Bandar Kuching constituency had been allocated for NGOs including those not in the constituency.

Chong added that Nor Mohamed also said allocations were given to all parliamentary constituencies without prejudice even if the funds were disbursed differently.

According to Chong, a Bandar Kuching voter had lodged a report with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) on the matter and was promised feedback within a month.

Chong also told the Dewan Rakyat that the MACC had summoned him for a statement last week, but he was unable to attend as he was attending the Sarawak state assembly. "I want an explanation to this, and I hope that the BN will walk the talk," Chong said.

Fong Po Kuan (Batu Gajah-DAP), in supporting Chong's motion, urged the federal government and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to channel funds directly to MPs rather than district offices on grounds that the elected representatives can best understand the needs of the rakyat.

Meanwhile, several PR MPs speaking in support of the motion similarly urged the federal government to be more inclusive and fair to MPs from both sides of the political divide.

BN MPs then joined in the fray with Datuk Mohamad Aziz (Sri Gading-BN) slamming Chong's motion as malicious and ticked off the opposition for merely complaining to further their political agenda.

Hamim Samuri (Ledang-BN) stirred controversy when he said only BN MPs were "trustworthy" and should have funds made directly available to them, prompting Fong to demand that Hamim retract his statement.

Nor Mohamed then defended himself against Chong's bid, ticking off the opposition for "making a big deal" out of the government's decision to give money to the poor to build a surau.

"Today is a sad day, not because Bandar Kuching (Chong) wants my salary to be reduced by RM10 but because of the hypocrisy they are putting up," Nor Mohamed said.