Lee Lam Thye: Budget revision must help less well-off

Measures to help low income earners should not be cut, says social activist.

KUALA LUMPUR: The 2016 Budget revision to be carried out by the government must cushion the impact of plunging oil prices and various economic factors on the people’s lives, said social activist Lee Lam Thye.

He hoped that the government would come up with a strategy to give priority to the less well-off.

He said the 2016 Budget had to be revised to enable the country to be more realistic in facing the present economic situation which was becoming more challenging.

“The people have to accept this fact, but in making the amendments, we hope there will be no action that will affect the livelihood of the people, especially the less well-off who are burdened with the rising cost of living.

“For example, the distribution of the 1Malaysia People’s Aid (BR1M)…we hope it will be maintained and allocations for other matters involving the welfare of the low-income earners will not be cut,” he said today.

Lee, who is also chairman of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health and the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research, also hoped that the revision would not involve a cut in the allocation for road safety programmes.

“I hope there will be no cut in the allocation for agencies, including under the Transport Ministry, for example MIROS, that can affect promotional activities to prevent road accidents and road safety programmes,” he added.

Last Friday, Prime Minister Najib Razak said that the government would table a revision of the 2016 Budget to make it more realistic to suit the present economic situation.

— BERNAMA