Selangau MP Baru Bian said the opposition should move against Budget 2021, regardless of the outcome.
He said this is because the budget is not fair, and the opposition's grouses have been ignored by the government.
"The rationale for objecting to this budget is basic and fundamental. This budget is not a just and fair one.
"Whether we succeed or not is another issue altogether. It is the principle behind the voting that matters most," Baru (above) said in a statement last night.
Budget 2021 passed through the second reading or policy stage yesterday with a voice vote.
An attempt to call for a bloc vote only had the support of 13 MPs and did not meet the 15 lawmaker threshold.
Baru was one of the MPs who stood up in support of the gambit.
Opposition MPs have revealed that the move was not supported after PKR president Anwar Ibrahim decided against it at the last minute - to the ire of his allies in Amanah and DAP.
Anwar said he did not want to be seen as opposing new incentives announced by the government for the people.
DAP parliamentary leader Anthony Loke also said that there were some elements of the budget which the Pakatan Harapan supported.
Baru, however, opined that the concessions made by the government were not clear in nature.
Besides opposing Budget 2021 for not being fair, the Parti Sarawak Bersatu MP also said the bill should be voted down to reject the unmandated Perikatan Nasional government.
Anwar has vowed that the opposition will call for bloc votes during the committee stage of the debate, when each ministry's budget will be scrutinised and voted on one by one.
Meanwhile, PKR's Hassan Karim - who also stood up for a bloc vote yesterday - acknowledged that he went against party lines.
"I followed my conscience, not the party whip.
"I already informed the party leadership that I’m standing up, I’m also ready for punishment," the Pasir Gudang MP was quoted as saying by The Star. - Mkini
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