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PETALING JAYA: Opposition party leaders were instructed not to hold a bloc vote for the 2021 budget at the policy level, says opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim (Photo).
He said this was done so that members of Parliament could study and analyze the general announcement from the Minister of Finance.
“Members of Parliament have the right to question whether these provisions add to those already announced or whether they result from cuts in certain ministries,” he said.
This includes the actual amount of the budget and the impact it will have on the financial situation of the country.
He also questioned whether assistance would be provided to help taxi drivers, canteen operators and others.
“Various mechanisms, including the withdrawal of funds from the EPF and bank moratoriums, should also be examined,” he added.
The government had proposed allowing members to withdraw up to RM 10,000 from Account 1 of its Employee Provident Fund (EPF).
Anwar suggested that the Opposition could still make its position known, including through a block vote during the committee-level 2021 budget debate in the coming weeks.
Anwar said there have never been such major amendments to the national budget in the history of the Malaysian Parliament.
Only 13 MPs stood up openly to force a bloc vote on Thursday (November 26), including former Prime Minister Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad and some members of the Parti Amanah Negara.
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