In the past few days, several photos and messages have gone viral with regards to Seri Bendahara, the official residence of the Melaka Chief Minister.
The photos show renovation works being carried out in Seri Bendahara. The project would purportedly cost around RM300,000.
I call upon the Chief Minister of Melaka, Sulaiman Md Ali, to come forth and clarify this matter. He should state whether or not those photos and messages are true. This is to protect the integrity of the state government and to ensure transparency in governance.
For the record, when Pakatan Harapan took over the government in Melaka, our former Chief Minister, Adly Zahari, decided to not stay in Seri Bendahara. This was because the maintenance cost of the residence is very high. For example, the electricity bill itself could reach RM30,000 per month.
If the new Chief Minister has indeed decided to renovate and stay in Seri Bendahara, this would definitely be a wastage which could be avoided. I wonder how many Rumah Peduli Melaka (low cost houses) could be built with the cost spent on Seri Bendahara?
This matter is also important in light of the Covid-19 crisis. The ongoing Covid-19 crisis is indeed a critical public health issue, but it will also leave a devasting impact on our economy for the rest of the year and beyond.
Therefore, government funds would be better spent to support those badly affected by the Covid-19 crisis, especially small traders and the B40 group. For example, Perak and Penang has allocated RM7 million and RM20 million respectively to help citizens who are affected by the movement control order.
The Melaka Chief Minister has announced that the government is evaluating the suitable incentive to provide to those affected. I urge that this be carried out immediately so that the people can have some certainty.