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PETALING JAYA: Political analysts say the ball is now in the government’s court to see that the 2021 budget is approved, as members of the opposition have so far said they are willing to support the budget but with amendments to the Project of Supply Law.
Sivamurugan Pandian of Universiti Sains Malaysia said both sides of the aisle should discuss the amendments.
Based on the first day of debates in yesterday’s Dewan Rakyat, he said, opposition MPs are likely to agree to support the bill, but with changes.
“MPs may want to avoid being labeled as going against the King,” he said, referring to Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s advice for MPs to support the budget as the nation battles the Covid-19 pandemic.
Sivamurugan said that the opposition may abstain from voting if the amendments are not made. He said the government had nothing to lose by accepting the opposition’s demands.
Opposition MPs have called for a moratorium on loan repayments to be extended for an additional six months, as companies continue to experience a slowdown in business due to movement restrictions. The opposition has also called for more contributors to the Employee Provident Fund to be allowed to make withdrawals from their pension fund from Account 1.
“If the government can make the amendments the way the opposition wants, the budget is likely to pass with a larger majority,” Sivamurugan said.
Awang Azman Pawi from Universiti Malaya agreed. “If the views of the opposition are taken into account, the budget will be approved,” he told the FMT, referring to fears raised last month that the Supply Law does not receive enough support from parliamentarians who favor holding new elections. .
Failure to pass the supply bill will lead to the automatic collapse of the government of Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, who has a slim majority in Dewan Rakyat.
Awang Azman said that the government should listen to the suggestions made by the parliamentarians.
James Chin of the Asia Institute at the University of Tasmania said the number of people who abstained from voting on the budget could be higher this year.
The budget debate started yesterday and is expected to continue for the next three weeks.
Yesterday, the leader of the opposition, Anwar Ibrahim, said that the budget will not pass easily unless amendments are made.
