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COMMENT | Malaysia’s budget for 2021 was eagerly awaited as it was destined to be extraordinary given the circumstances of Covid-19. What was announced was quite ordinary and not what many expected.
1. Lack of budget strategy
Directionally, the budget lacked a strategy for how the country intends to reopen the economy amid the pandemic. What Malaysia faces is not unique. What will separate Malaysia from other countries is how quickly they manage the pandemic and reopen the economy and its borders to have something like the past within the new norm. What I would have liked to see is that the budget is broken down into short, medium and long-term initiatives.
2. Suitable people to benefit from social support initiatives
As expected, there were many social support initiatives, such as one-off cash gifts, wage subsidies, and others. The key here is how effective government data is in ensuring that the right beneficiaries are enjoying this.
Many in the B40 (bottom 40 percent households) are small business owners who depend on their daily income to survive. They are the most affected by the blockade that was imposed. The B40 requires monthly cash aid, not on time. This also opens the debate …
