[ad_1]
PETALING JAYA: Any opposition at the committee stage will not have any significant effect on the government or the proposed budget, says Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad (Photo).
The former prime minister said that this was just an effort to divert the attention of the people, who are disappointed in the Opposition.
He also said that the Opposition had ‘recognized’ the Perikatan Nasional government by allowing the 2021 Budget to be provisionally approved.
In a blog post on Friday (November 27), Dr. Mahathir said that when the budget was approved without objection at the second reading in the Dewan Rakyat, it meant that the government had been recognized by the opposition, except for the 13 MPs who objected. .
“During the debate on the 2021 budget yesterday, we found that not only the government supported it, but the majority of the opposition deputies also supported it,” he said.
Dr. Mahathir said some party leaders came to see him a day before the 2021 Budget was presented to express their opposition against him.
But this did not happen. When asked to vote, only 13 opponents stood up, two fewer than was needed (for a block vote). With this, the Budget was approved (at the policy stage).
“We are inclined to believe that a lot of ‘candy’ was offered to gain support.
“If this is true, then corruption has reached dangerous levels in our country. You can buy anything, including governments,” he said.
He stated that the Opposition was ready to compromise its principles and sacrifice the support of the rakyat for its own interests.
“Together with Pejuang, I will continue to oppose this Budget because we do not see any long-term benefits for the country in efforts to manage the economic problems caused by Covid-19.
“There are no plans to heal and develop the economy and help severely affected businesses,” he said, adding that it was never mentioned where and how the government would finance this.
“What it is is just offering more money to capture the hearts of the rakyat,” said Dr. Mahathir.
On Thursday (November 26), the 2021 Budget was approved at the policy stage through a voice vote.
However, only 13 MPs, including Dr. Mahathir and some members of the Parti Amanah Negara, stood up to call for a block vote.
On Friday, opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim suggested that the opposition could still express its position, including through bloc voting, during the committee-level 2021 budget debate.
[ad_2]
