Pakatan Harapan makes 6 ideas for Malaysia's budget 2021
02 November, 2020
Pakatan Harapan (PH) has made six suggestions on budget 2021 during an engagement session with Finance Minister Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz on Sunday (Nov 1).
Among the ideas made were to improve the budget allocation for medical Ministry to handle the COVID-19 pandemic and non-communicable diseases, as well concerning extend the loan repayment moratorium period until Mar 31, 2021, said People’s Justice Party (PKR) secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.
PH also suggested the enhancement of social protection, security network and welfare payments to the vulnerable and the unemployed by increasing welfare assist with RM1,000 (US$329).
It also needed wage subsidies until Mar 31 next year, as well as 600,000 jobs to be created.
Mr Saifuddin added that PH also recommended the increase of education expenditure and allocating development expenditure for projects linked to the fibre optic and connectivity plans, plus the upgrading of water infrastructures in Selangor, Kelantan and Pahang.
“We hope these suggestions can be viewed as and contained in budget 2021,” he told reporters after the two-hour session at the finance ministry, that was also attended by Parti Amanah Negara president Mohamad Sabu, the Democratic Action Party (DAP) secretary-general Lim Guan Eng and nine other PH representatives.
“We are looking forward to the next phase and response from the federal government,” he added.
Mr Saifuddin said the session went well and was carried out to respect the decision by Malaysia's King King Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah, who advised members of the parliament to provide their undivided support to budget 2021 which will be tabled on Nov 6.
“It is necessary for the government and the opposition to interact in preparing a particular budget to help Malaysians overcome and survive the COVID-19 crisis,” he said.
Meanwhile, Mr Lim said budget 2021 will be very historical and critical in shaping the continuing future of the country’s economy.
“Therefore, expenditure ought to be increased. If our money are insufficient, we must borrow. There is absolutely no other option because the economic situation is quite bad,” he said.
Mr Mohamad Sabu, alternatively, emphasised that the budget should be implemented effectively to attain its aims and steer clear of leakage.
Earlier, Mr Zafrul also held separate sessions with representatives from the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS) and Gabungan Parti Sarawak to go over budget 2021.
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