KUALA LUMPUR – Datuk Mohd Radzi Md Jidin (Putrajaya-PN) today derided Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim for the latter’s revised version of Budget 2023 tabled last week, which Radzi claimed does not reflect Anwar’s self-labelled “reformist” moniker.
Debating the supply bill today, the Bersatu vice-president said that the budget lacks game-changing policies, and took issue with the government’s failure to implement the economic formulas it previously proposed on the opposition bench.
“The budget was tabled by someone who always labels himself as a reformist. Unfortunately, ‘indah khabar dari rupa’ (the words belie the form),” he said in the Dewan Rakyat today.
“There is no wow factor or game changer in the budget. All the formulas they used to propose before this have not seen the light of day."
Elaborating, Radzi, who holds the finance portfolio in Perikatan Nasional’s shadow cabinet, noted that the Budget 2023 made no mention of the comprehensive 12th Malaysia Plan.
With the government also deciding to discontinue the previous Shared Prosperity Vision 2030 in favour of the Malaysia Madani framework, Radzi questioned the administration’s guidance for national development.
“The way I see it, this government does things without any clear guidance and framework. This will not only offer confusing signals to the rakyat and civil servants, but also to investors and the market,” he said.
One main point of contention with the budget, Radzi said, was the government’s projection of narrowing the country’s fiscal deficit to 3.2% by 2025, adding it is unclear how this could be achieved.
He noted that typically, to reduce fiscal deficit, a government needs to ensure a gross domestic product growth by making the economy more vibrant, increase revenue, and reduce spending.
However, he pointed out that all these do not appear to be addressed in the budget.
For instance, Radzi said, this year's budget did not explain how the government intends to expand the economy, as it continues to be heavily reliant on tax revenue from petroleum without identifying new sources of revenue. – The Vibes, March 2, 2023
