KUALA LUMPUR – As the heat intensifies over Pakatan Harapan MPs’ failure to block Budget 2021’s passage at the policy stage, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today reiterated his stand that the supply bill can still be voted down.
However, former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad dismissed the opposition leader’s claim, saying the bloc’s move to allow the Budget to be passed yesterday only goes to show that it recognises Perikatan Nasional as a legitimate government.
The 95-year-old Pejuang chairman and Langkawi MP suggested that opposition lawmakers were enticed to vote for the spending plan.
In a statement, PKR president Anwar acknowledged that DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng and Amanah president Mohamad Sabu wanted bloc voting to be called yesterday, but said he decided against it to allow MPs to study the Budget in detail.
He maintained that the opposition will still have the chance to voice its dissatisfaction when the Budget is debated at the committee stage starting Monday, when each item under every ministry will be deliberated on at length.
“The opportunity still exists for us to state our stand, including via bloc voting at the committee stage.”
He took a dig at PN for being the first government to make huge changes to its Budget to secure the opposition’s support.
“This proves PN’s readiness to do whatever it takes to remain in power, including by breaking parliamentary convention.”
Budget 2021 was passed at the policy stage via a simple voice vote, despite PH’s strong criticism of it after its November 6 tabling.
There appeared to be confusion in the Dewan Rakyat as only 13 of the required 15 MPs supported a call by Datuk Seri Mahfuz Omar (PH-Pokok Sena) for bloc voting.
Dr Mahathir, in a statement, said rejecting specific portions of the Budget at the committee stage, as suggested by Anwar, will not have a significant impact, and is merely an attempt to divert the people’s criticism.
“It’s strange (that the opposition supported the Budget). All this while, they have been trying their best to topple Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s government through a no-confidence motion.
“When the Budget was tabled, they acted as though they would reject it. But this did not happen. We are inclined to believe various goodies were offered to get their support. If this is true, then corruption is in a very dangerous state.
“The opposition is willing to compromise by rejecting principles and neglecting the people’s support for their own interests.” – The Vibes, November 27, 2020
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