KUALA LUMPUR – The Finance Ministry can free up another RM736.6 million in the Budget 2021 if it holds off development plans for a few ministries, said Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir (Jerlun-Independent) in Dewan Rakyat today.
Mukhriz, who is former Kedah menteri besar, said in his Budget debate speech that there is no priority for the government to focus on certain development projects when it should be prioritising the needs of the public under the Covid-19 economy.
“The government should postpone developing the premises of a few ministries; that should never have been made a priority. It has allocated RM60.5 million for the new International Trade and Industries Ministry building and RM295 million for the Prime Minister’s Department.
“There’s also allocation of RM63.9 million to upgrade the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry’s building. And there’s more. The total is RM736.6 million. What’s the need for all of this? How can this help the public face Covid-19 and its economic impact?”
The reduction in development expenditure is only one of Mukhriz’s 12 demands to Finance Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz before he will back Putrajaya’s budget for next year.
He also demanded that the government postpone its mega projects worth around RM15 billion in favour of smaller projects such as rural roadworks repairs, upgrading community halls, which will directly benefit small contractors and micro-SMEs owned by Malaysians.
Another demand Mukhriz made was for the federal government to reduce ministers’ salary by 30% and to drop deputy ministers as part of his 12 conditions and demands before he will back the 2021 Budget.
He also questioned the reason behind the immense RM4 billion hike for the Prime Minister’s Department that is given an allocation of RM11.7 billion for next year from RM7.9 billion this year.
Similarly, he told Putrajaya to drop its RM8.6 million allocation for the Community Movement Programme (Program Penggerak Kommuniti) or he will lodge a report with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).
He made the same demand for the government to shut down the Special Affairs Department (Jasa) which had received an allocation of RM85.5 million.
Mukhriz’s other demands were: ensuring that front-liners, stall owners, SMEs receive assistance; mass Covid-19 testing for Malaysians, migrants and illegal migrants; allocate a fund to develop the Covid-19 vaccine locally; increase the Health Ministry’s allocation for non-communicable diseases; interest free loans for SMEs with a maximum grant of RM30,000 for micro business and informal workers; come up with a more realistic GDP prediction so the nation’s deficit can be accurately assessed; extend bank’s moratorium and allow contributors to withdraw their EPF funds. – The Vibes, November 18, 2020
