Don’t accept Budget 2021 without any discussion, says Pejuang man

 

Tariq Ismail has reminded MPs that their main responsibility is to serve the rakyat.

PETALING JAYA: Former PPBM Supreme Council member Tariq Ismail Mustafa has reminded MPs not to blindly support the upcoming Budget 2021 without any debate and discussion.

Tariq, who is now a member of Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s new party Pejuang, said elected representatives must instead ensure the objectives of the people are fulfilled with the government’s budget allocations.

“In order to do that, every detail of the budget must be scrutinised to ensure the funds are going to be used only for the well-being of the people.

“I would like to remind MPs that their main responsibility is to serve the rakyat,” he said in a statement today.

He also questioned leaders who seemed to be afraid of tabling the budget in Parliament.

“Could it be because the budget is not for the well-being of the people but for political gain?” he said, suggesting that some leaders may not want the people to know the actual economic situation in the country.

Tariq also called for a number of sectors to be given priority in budget allocations, such as the health ministry which needs to be given the funds to acquire the Covid-19 vaccine.

Meanwhile, the Pakatan Harapan coalition has urged Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin to discuss details of Budget 2021 before tabling it in Parliament on Nov 6.

PKR communications director Fahmi Fadzil told reporters the Pakatan Harapan presidential council agreed with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong that the budget was very important for the country, especially in having to deal with the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

However, he did not confirm if the federal opposition coalition would be supporting the budget. - FMT