Penang BN rips CM for ‘populist, senseless’ state budget

The Penang opposition has slated the newly-tabled state budget for 2018 as being a “populist and senseless" election budget, primarily over the proposed 2017 year-end bonus for the 8,000 civil servants in the state.

“This is clearly a populist budget of the Penang government in light of the coming 14th national polls.

“How are they supposed to pay it this year, when Lim clearly mentioned that his so-called ‘budget for the people’ is allocated for 2018?” asked state opposition leader Jahara Hamid.

“It has never happened before. They should be more transparent, and not use funds which they never tabled in Budget 2017. They are just playing around with the figures.

“They are not really a clean government,” she said when contacted.

She was referring to Lim’s announcement that approximately 8,000 civil servants in the state will receive up to RM2,000 each, upon recommendation by state secretary Farizan Darus, that will be paid out at the end of 2017.

Lim, however, denied that the payouts in the budget were included with the coming elections in mind, calling it a “budget by the people and for the people.”

Bonuses were also a feature of the recently tabled federal budget, where Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak announced that civil servants would receive payouts totalling RM1,500 in two tranches.

At a separate press conference, Jahara also criticised Lim for declaring an exemption of licenses for hawkers and traders without introducing policies that address the issues they face, particularly their premises being torn down by council enforcement officers.

“The state government does not address big problems faced by traders or provide alternative places for them to conduct their businesses.

“Besides, the exemptions are not for all, and appear more like sweets from the state government,.

“The CM described the budget for ordinary people, but it lacks incentives or priorities for the poor, which we feel have been marginalised in the budget,” said the Ayer Tawar state assemblyperson.

Muhammad Farid Saad (Umno-Pulau Betong) added the state budget for 2018 failed to address three important issues which plague Penangites.

“They fail to address the issues of traffic congestion, housing and flash floods in a holistic manner.

“Most of the items in the budget are focused on urban folks,” he said. - Mkini