KUALA LUMPUR – An opposition backbencher took a dig at the government over its capacity to implement Budget 2022 successfully, pointing to the two coalitions whose members sharing power in Putrajaya are battling head-on in the Melaka election.
Khoo Poay Tiong (Kota Melaka-PH) said cabinet members from Barisan Nasional (BN) and Perikatan Nasional (PN) are seeing the two coalitions competing against each other “two hours away” from the federal administrative centre.
“BN and PN are fighting in Melaka. In fact, they are fighting each other in all 28 seats.
“So when a BN minister goes down to Melaka, he will surely say bad things about PN,” Khoo told the Dewan Rakyat while debating Budget 2022.
The DAP man pointed out that two deputy ministers are contesting in the election on November 20.
Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Parliament and Law) Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsudin from PN is vying for the Tg Bidara seat, while Deputy Minister for International Trade and Industry Datuk Lim Ban Hong from BN is contesting in Kelebang.
Khoo questioned how the two would work together in the same government.
“These are hypocrites. If they end up fighting, how can they carry out their duties concerning Budget 2022?” he said.
He added that the previous budget’s allocation of 150,000 laptops for B40 students has yet to be implemented in full.
Noting that the government has promised 600,000 digital devices for students at higher learning institutions under Budget 2022, he questioned how Putrajaya aims to fulfil this.
“150,000 was difficult for them. What more when it comes to 600,000 devices?” he asked, as he questioned why the distribution was taking so long.
“Is it because BN and PN ministers are having misunderstandings that are influencing the implementations of programmes benefiting the rakyat?” Khoo asked. – The Vibes, November 11, 2021