By Wong Chen
The year 2021 was an even more challenging year than 2020. In 2020, the pandemic recorded slightly more than 100,000 infections and 460 deaths. In comparison and to fully comprehend how bad 2021 was; we ended the year with an accumulated total of 2.7 million infections and more than 31,000 deaths. For six months from May to October of 2021, our public health system was pushed to the very limits by Covid-19.
Despite potential challenges posed by the current Omicron variant, the latest data and science seem to indicate that while Omicron is much more infectious, its health severity is milder. This situation is a cause for optimism that for 2022, we may see the end or the start of the end of this global pandemic.
On that more positive note, let me now, present to you, a summarised report card of sorts of the duties and activities discharged by me and my office in the year 2021.
PARLIAMENTARY DUTIES
Despite more than half a year lost when Parliament was suspended by the Emergency, I have had an exceptionally busy and productive year as your Member of Parliament. Truth be told, I have never had a busier Parliamentary year than 2021. As there are too many things to report, I will just highlight my official roles and duties below. Details of all my Parliamentary work can be read on my Facebook posts.
As always, I was diligent in attending Parliament sessions and am again reporting a 100% attendance rate for 2021. This year, I gave three key speeches, three legislative related speeches, and numerous interjections and questions. However, most of my Parliamentary work for 2021 has been focused on policy making and various committee activities.
On the policy making and committee front, I was appointed to the new and powerful Parliamentary Special Select Committee on Finance and Economy; where I currently serve as Deputy Chairman. This committee monitors and deals with three ministries; namely the Ministry of Finance, the Prime Minister’s Department (Economic Planning Unit), and the Ministry of International Trade and Industry. This select committee is also advised by Bank Negara officials and senior economists.
As for other official committee duties, I am currently serving in the National Recovery Council, representing the Opposition. The National Recovery Council is a joint administrator of agencies under the Ministry of Finance and the Economic Stimulus Implementation and Coordination Unit between National Agencies (LAKSANA). The council’s main mission is to strengthen the country’s health and economic system post Covid-19.
In addition, I also served in the Pre-Budget 2022 Committee which engaged the Ministry of Finance on all aspects of budgetary matters, including policies, revenues and expenditures. For Budget 2022, I managed to secure increased budgets for all select committees, the Auditor General Office and also Gender Responsive Budgeting. In addition, I continued to assist the Leader of Opposition and also guide Keadilan MPs on all budgetary policies and concerns.
Lastly, I led the legal and reform drafting team that resulted in the MoU executed between Pakatan Harapan and the Government of Malaysia in September 2021. The MoU is a conditional reform based document that has led to several important Parliamentary reforms including the MA63 constitutional amendment and the implementation of Undi 18. This year, the MoU promises to deliver the much anticipated anti-hopping law and the fundamentally important, Parliamentary Services Act.
COMMUNITY FUNDING
On this front, we had a much better year than 2020. For the first nine months of the year, we managed to systematically deliver 3,000 food aid to our underprivileged constituents. With the generous support of IJM Corporation and other donors, we also managed to increase our food voucher programs to cover more than 550 families during 2021.
As for community funding and projects, we disbursed some RM614,500 to our councillors, frontliners (police and bomba) and community associations. We also spent RM305,490 on all 51 schools in Subang to (a) purchase self test kits, and (b) provide RM100 grants to 1,530 underprivileged students.
On community complaints and cases, we had a variety of cases ranging from police complaints, traffic, citizenship matters and community disputes. My officers and interns handled a total of 455 cases in 2021. This is a slight drop in cases compared to 480 cases handled by us in 2020. This drop is primarily caused by the Emergency and the pandemic lockdowns.
INTERNATIONAL ENGAGEMENTS
For 2021, I had in total 27 diplomatic engagements (physical and virtual) with ambassadors and officials of Australia, Brazil, Columbia, Cuba, European Union, Germany, Japan, Norway, Russia, Singapore, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom and the United States. I represented Malaysia for the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly, hosted virtually by Vietnam. I continued to be active in initiatives of Asean Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR) and South East Asia Community (SEAC).
I was also appointed to represent the Asia Pacific region for the Science and Technology Working Group of Inter-Parliamentary Union. This international working group of Parliamentarians is currently focused on the pandemic and climate change issues.
THE P104 OFFICE
Our office expenses have normalised since September 2021. Since then we have restarted our internship program. I want to thank all of my 2021 interns; Amanda, Daniel, Dhaartshini, Ernest, Ethan, Iskandar and Jiang Wei for their good work and efforts.
On the officers front, with restored finances, we are back to having a budget for three officers. We said goodbye to our super capable officers Alethea and Ivan and welcomed two new officers, Bala and Cyrene. Dhaartshini will formally become our third officer in January 2022.
I want to thank my loyal base of core volunteers, led by Mr. Leong, and special mentions to Ho, Gabriel, James, Weng Wai, Wyhow, Melody and Mr Phang. I also want to thank the office of my two ADUNS, YB Ng Sze Han and YB Michelle Ng, for their continued and excellent community services during the pandemic, along with their officers, councillors and all the community leaders in Subang.
I wish everyone a better and happier new year.
