Handouts are limited, PM Najib warns

Najib said the country cannot afford to “dish out as much as [it likes].” — File pic

KUALA LUMPUR, June 24 — Datuk Seri Najib Razak today appeared to cool speculation of more cash handouts when he tables Budget 2013 on September 28, just months ahead of the deadline for the next general election.

The Najib administration spent heavily on public aid in this year’s Budget, including book vouchers to students and a RM2.6 billion one-off handout of RM500 each to low-income households under the Bantuan Rakyat 1 Malaysia (BR1M) scheme.

He previously said that a fresh round of the BR1M payouts, which had helped to boost his approval rating among lower income voters, was under consideration.

“There’s a limit to resources, we can’t keep on giving without looking at the Budget,” the prime minister said in a speech today.

Najib noted that other countries such as Spain were having economic trouble because “they spend more than they earn”.

“As a nation, we cannot dish out as much as we like. But I have to find revenue for the country.

“If I have more revenue, I will give out more. We must have fiscal responsibility,” the Barisan Nasional (BN) chief said at a gathering with Chinese youths this afternoon.

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