Zafrul has until Thursday to consider BN demands - Ahmad Maslan

 

BN lawmakers will be consistent in supporting the Budget 2021 proposal when the matter comes to a vote on Thursday only if the coalition’s two demands are met.

Moreover, Umno secretary-general Ahmad Maslan (above) said Finance Minister Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz will have until Thursday to consider its demands.

“(Budget 2021) was discussed, and regarding that, we would of course still state our support for the budget and our request for the two demands to be approved.

“We have until Thursday for the finance minister’s consideration,” he told reporters at the lobby of Menara Dato Onn in Kuala Lumpur today.

Although he did not list the demands, the Pontian MP is believed to be referring to BN Backbenchers Club chairperson Najib Abdul Razak’s repeated statements saying that BN would only support the budget if there is an extension of the moratorium on loan repayments, and for individuals to withdraw up to RM10,000 from their Account 1 of the Employees Provident Fund (EPF).

Earlier, Ahmad had attended a meeting of BN parliamentarians together with Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, which began at around 5pm.

The meeting became a focus of attention due to dissatisfaction amongst Umno MPs towards the budget proposal.

Umno's advisory board chairperson Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah was previously reported to have said that MPs should be given the latitude to decide whether to support, reject, or abstain from voting on the budget, which would be a departure from the usual party-based voting.

In addition, the meeting also took place amid disagreements within Umno as several party leaders criticised BN secretary-general Annuar Musa over the party’s relations with Bersatu.

Among others, Johor Umno deputy chief Nur Jazlan Mohamed slammed Annuar by saying that the Umno grassroots are tired of the latter for behaving as if he was a Bersatu spokesperson.

In other developments, Ahmad said the BN presidential council has decided that BN ministers should hold a meeting with the Umno president every fortnight.

“We will hold meetings between ministers and the president every two weeks. That was decided a moment ago, that the president and I will meet BN ministers to discuss government policies that can be given the party’s input,” he said. - Mkini