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PUTRAJAYA: Pakatan Harapan (PH) has made six suggestions on the 2021 budget during an engagement session with Finance Minister Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz on Sunday (November 1).
Among the suggestions made was increasing the budget allocation for the Ministry of Health to address the COVID-19 pandemic and noncommunicable diseases, as well as extending the loan payment moratorium period until March 31, 2021, said the People’s Justice Party (PKR). General Secretary Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.
PH also suggested improving social protection, safety net and social assistance payments to the vulnerable and unemployed by increasing social assistance to RM1,000 (US $ 329).
He also asked for wage subsidies until March 31 of next year, as well as the creation of 600,000 jobs.
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Mr. Saifuddin added that PH also recommended increasing spending on education and allocating development costs for projects related to fiber optic and connectivity plans, as well as improving water infrastructures in Selangor, Kelantan and Pahang.
“We hope that these suggestions can be considered and included in the 2021 budget,” he told reporters after the two-hour session at the Finance Ministry, which was also attended by Parti Amanah Negara president Mohamad Sabu, secretary of the Democratic Action Party (DAP). General Lim Guan Eng and nine other PH representatives.
“We are waiting for the next step and the response from the government,” he added.
Saifuddin said the session went well and was conducted to respect the call of the King of Malaysia, King Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah, who advised members of parliament to give their full support to the budget. 2021 to be presented. on November 6.
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“It is important that the government and the opposition work together to prepare a specific budget to help Malaysians overcome and survive the COVID-19 crisis,” he said.
Meanwhile, Lim said the 2021 budget would be very historic and critical in shaping the future of the country’s economy.
“Therefore, spending should increase. If our financial resources are insufficient, we must borrow. There is no other option because the economic situation is very bad, “he said.
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Mr. Mohamad Sabu, on the other hand, emphasized that the budget must be executed effectively to achieve its goals and avoid leakage.
Previously, Zafrul also held separate sessions with representatives from the United Malaysia National Organization (UMNO), Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS) and Gabungan Parti Sarawak to discuss the 2021 budget.
