Budgets for MOH and Housing Ministry passed

 

PARLIAMENT | The Dewan Rakyat today passed the Housing and Local Government's allocations of more than RM5.3 billion under the Supply (Budget) Bill 2021 through a bloc vote at the end of committee stage debates.

A total of 109 MPs voted to pass the budget, 96 voted against while 18 were absent.

Earlier, the Dewan Rakyat also passed RM31.94 billion allocations for the Health Ministry (MOH) via a voice vote.

The government has to date passed the budgets of 19 ministries at the committee stage - seven through bloc votes and 12 via voice votes.

Prior to the start of the Housing and Local Government ministry's budget debates, Dewan Rakyat speaker Azhar Azizan Harun said he had received four motions to cut an allocation of RM8.63 million for the Penggerak Komuniti Tempatan (PeKT) initiative, listed as an item under "Special Programmes" for next year.

The motions were filed by Fahmi Fadzil (Harapan-Lembah Pantai), Hassan Karim (Harapan-Pasir Gudang), Chang Lih Kang (Harapan-Tanjong Malim), and Wilfred Madius Tangau (Upko-Tuaran).

Azhar said he had exercised his residuary powers under Standing Order 100 to allow all four motions to be debated as one matter to be decided by the House.

The four MPs in their debates, among others, argued that the PeKT initiative, and the funds allocated, could be abused as a political vehicle to further partisan interests.

Government MPs who debated in favour of retaining the allocations, however, said appointed PeKT activists could play a role to foster better cooperations between ordinary Malaysians and their local authorities.

In response, Housing and Local Government Minister Zuraida Kamaruddin stressed that PeKT activists were appointed in line with the National Community Policy (Dasar Komuniti Negara) that was launched as a pilot project at 19 low-cost People's Housing Project.

The allocation was retained after more voices voted against the motion.

Zuraida, who is also a Bersatu supreme council member, previously said 261 local activists had been appointed across 46 local governments to carry out activities that would improve their respective communities.

In Selangor, state Bersatu chief Abdul Rashid Asari last month said Selangor PeKT would appoint 288 members to be drawn from PN parties.

 - Mkini