Budget 2015 fails to address billion-ringgit leakages, says Anwar

Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim says Budget 2015 contains the same announcements as previous budgets. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Afif Abd Halim, October 10, 2014.

Budget 2015 failed to address the billions of ringgit in leakages by the government, opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said, adding that this would have a dangerous effect on the economy as the public grappled with rising living costs.

Instead, Budget 2015 was peppered with the same announcements that had been repeated for the past six to seven years, said the de facto PKR chief.

"As usual, this budget repeated several earlier announcements. Like the pan-Borneo highway, that (has been repeated) for six or seven years," said Anwar when met at the Parliament lobby today.

"But the issue of rising costs that cannot be managed, the issue of rising fuel prices which I think is unreasonable given that global fuel prices are down, the issue of leakage, wastage, no tenders in several big contracts, (all the factors) which cause prices to rise, were not touched.

"And I believe this will have a dangerous effect considering the tens of billions of ringgit in leakages that are not managed, coupled with the rise in prices (of goods) including petrol." – October 10, 2014.

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- TMI