Malaysia

Subang MP takes ‘Santa Claus’ govt to task over RM14 bil cash aid

Wong Chen says in comparison, only RM1.5 billion set aside for Wage Subsidy Programme

Updated 5 years ago · Published on 17 Dec 2020 12:37PM

Subang MP takes ‘Santa Claus’ govt to task over RM14 bil cash aid
Subang MP Wong Chen asks why Putrajaya is ‘so biased towards populist cash handouts’. – Facebook pic, December 17, 2020

by Arjun Mohanakrishnan

KUALA LUMPUR – Subang MP Wong Chen may have put himself on Putrajaya’s naughty list after he likened the federal government to Santa Claus for being too focused on “populist cash handouts”.

Referring to the additional RM14 billion allocation for Bantuan Prihatin Nasional, which comes on top of the RM11.2 billion already allocated this year, he compared it to the RM1.5 billion set aside for the Wage Subsidy Programme (WSP).

“I know Christmas is next week, but the minister shouldn’t be like Santa Claus. The important thing is wage subsidies, but that received an additional allocation of only RM1.5 billion.

“Why so biased towards populist cash handouts?” he said in the Dewan Rakyat today.

He recommended that the Finance Ministry allocate RM6 billion to WSP and only RM9.5 billion to the Prihatin aid programme.

“Instead of helping companies survive this crisis and prevent further unemployment, you are giving excessive handouts to people.

“Is there going to be a general election next year?” – The Vibes, December 17, 2020

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