KUALA LUMPUR – Former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has questioned the government’s lack of assistance under Budget 2021 for the M40 group, saying they desperately need help amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
Speaking in the Dewan Rakyat, Najib said most government aid outlined in the budget announcement is targeted at the bottom 40% (B40) households, neglecting those in the middle class.
“I have received various messages from the rakyat who are affected by the pandemic. If you look at social media sites, the B40 group is not the only one complaining about being greatly impacted, but the M40 as well.
“But in this year’s budget, the government only extended the targeted moratorium for the B40, for instance, as if the M40 are not severely affected.
“In fact, the M40 group have expressed their dissatisfaction that they are not getting much benefit from the budget in general. Are we supposed to wait until they fall into the B40 category before we start assisting them?” Najib questioned during his Budget 2021 debate today.
Earlier in his speech, Najib had described the 2021 budget as a “war time budget”, considering the extraordinary Covid-19 circumstances the country is facing.
He said as such, the government needs to truly understand the grouses and concerns of the rakyat, who are counting on them to provide whatever assistance to them and ensure the economy recovers.
“The challenge we are facing today is extraordinary, and hence requires an extraordinary budget, approach and economic policies.
“To me, the Budget 2021 can be deemed as a war time budget. We are in war with an invisible enemy. The rakyat’s survival is threatened and so are the small and medium enterprises.
“Which is why this year’s budget must be bold, creative, and provide inspiration and hope to the rakyat,” he said. – The Vibes, November 10, 2020
