Deng Kuol Tong, member of national parliament representing Aweil North County. (Photo: Deng Tong).

Citizens across the country have heaped praises for the member of parliament, who donated his medical allowances to the flood-affected populations at his constituency.

On Tuesday, Deng Tong Kuol, a national lawmaker representing Aweil North County in the state of Northern Bahr el Ghazal, donated his $15,000 medical allowance to floods survivors.

The medical allowances, approved by the parliament and disbursed by the finance ministry, have so far invoked mixed reactions among members of the public.

However, Kuol told Eye Radio that he has taken the decision to give away his medical allowance on humanitarian basis.

He confirmed, the donation of 3 million SSP to support people affected by flooding in Aweil North County and 8,000 USD to his community in Juba.

“I did that because we promise our youth that we are going to do something for them, this was a humanitarian deed as a parliamentary it’s a must to do something for the people and my friends took it to the media and it made headlines,” he said.

Meanwhile, members of the public have commended the lawmaker for the gesture of generosity.

“I would like to say that I am happy with those who represent us well in the national parliament. This MP who has donated his allowances to try to help his constituency has shown that he is really a member of his constituency,” Muor Lazarus from Lologo.

“Thank God, the MP representing Aweil North Constituency. The people of Aweil North have to come and praise him, celebrate him and tell the people of the world that this is the only MP.” said Biar Deng.

Salah Moses is also full of praises for the legislator. Speaking to Eye Radio on Tuesday, he urged South Sudanese to acknowledge the good deed from the official.

“To me, am saying that all of the South Sudanese should come down and celebrate. We need to really congratulate him for being an exemplary to the people,’ he said.

“You know when you see MPs are put there to represent the citizens of the country. They are not put there to take the resource of the country. We have not actually chosen them to do that.”

For his part, Wol Deng an executive member of the Aweil North community said the gesture by honorable Tong is welcomed and appreciated by his consituency.

“Truthfully, flood victims are happy, and we as community leaders are also very happy for them because what Deng did is exactly what is supposed to be done by the leaders of the community,” he said.

“They are supposed to give back to their communities. So Deng is one person who stood up with the community and gave all his medical allowances to support the flood victims to buy their medicines and some shelters and some kinds of stuff like mosquito nets and plastic shoes. So we are so much happy.”

This is the first time a member of parliament has directly given away his financial benefits for service delivery in his constituency.

However, not all members of the public were positive about the gesture.

James Dhuor said: “This is not his money. He is giving to these people but it is not donation. Donation is what you invest from your own wealth.”