Bajet 2021 : Kita Bayar RM400 Juta Tutup Lubang Felda, Gaji/Pencen Civil Service RM112 B I L I O N, Kita Bayar Lagi RM310 Juta Perumahan Civil Service, JASA Dapat RM80 Juta, Telco Dapat 'bisnes' RM9.4 Billion, "Bajet" Untuk Rawatan Hospital Potong

 Cerita Bajet ini panjang sikit hari ini.  Tetapi senang faham.  

Finance Minister tables 2021 Budget 

• Bernama and Reuters : total RM322.5b allocated for 2021
• RM7.8b more than 2020 Budget RM314.7 billion.
• RM236.5b for operational expenditure (OE)
• RM69b for development exp (DE)
• RM17b for Covid-19 fund

Operational (RM236.5b)

• Emoluments – RM84.5 billion
• Pensions – RM27.7 billion
• Subsidies – RM18.7 billion
• Others – RM25.8 billion
• Debt repayment – RM39 billion
• Services and supply – RM32.8 billion
• State governments – RM7.7 billion

(OSTB : Civil Servant salaries, pensions alone take up RM112 billion or 47% of Operating Expenditure. This is the biggest chunk of OpEx. 1.7 million mostly Malay bumiputra Civil Servants rely on these taxpayers funds for their sustenance. 

So please ensure that there is a steady supply of tax income for the government to keep paying Civil Servants salaries. Dont create problems and interruptions that will prevent business and trade from growing. Kalau bisnes kena ganggu, tax revenue Kerajaan pun akan hilang.)

Please continue reading. There is a mysterious 'Others' that takes up RM26b. Subsidies take up RM19b. Together that is about 20% of the OpEx.)

Development:

• Economy – RM39 billion
• Social – RM18.3 billion
• Security – RM7.7 billion
• General administration – RM3.8 billion

Covid-19 fund – RM17 billion

(OSTB : RM39b for Economic development. That is only 16% of the Budget. This is not enough. We need to spend more on the economy so that there will be more productive activity that will generate more tax revenue for the government.))

Civil service

• Increase allowance RM6 - RM8 per hr for 1,900 volunteer firefighters
• One-off payment RM500 for 40,000 recipients of Pingat Jasa Pahlawan Negara
• RM600 for civil servants Grade 56 and below
• For retirees with no pension, RM300 special aid

Environment

• RM50 million to clean rivers of rubbish and waste
• RM40 million to strengthen enforcement and monitoring activities
• RM10 million for island waste management projects in Johor and Terengganu
• RM20m for hiring 500 former soldiers, police, Orang Asli, to patrol forests

(OSTB : Good.)

RM400 million for all states for biodiversity protection

(OSTB : What is this?)

Govt to build urban transformation centre in Lembah Pantai with private sector

(OSTB : Private sector? Referring to GLC?? Taxpayers money for GLC again? Build and build.)

Job creation and social issues

• RM100m for NGOs involved in job creation, social issues, environment
• This RM100m grant  matched with RM100 million grant from GLCs

(OSTB : RM200m GRANT !! Wow !! NGOs CANNOT create jobs. Jobs are created by new factories, new enterprises, new businesses, new farms, restaurants, banks, shops etc. NGOs CANNOT create jobs. What will this RM200m really do?)

RM2b to continue Green Technology Financing Scheme 3.0

(OSTB : What is this?)

Appointment of 100 new MACC officers

(OSTB : Excellent. MACC actually needs 1,500 Investigating Officers.)

Sabah and Sarawak

• RM5.1b and RM4.5b for infrastructure, health, education facilities 
• Economic corridors
• RM780m for development projects in Johor, K'tan, Kedah, S'wak, Sabah
• Extension of tax incentives for economic corridors until 2022
• RM150m for raw water supply to Melaka
• EPF proceed with RM50b Kwasa Damansara dvpmnt, to generate 100,000 jobs

(OSTB : EPF has an excellent track record, even in property. But to generate 100,000 jobs?? Over what period of time? That is a very tall claim. And what type of jobs? Shop assistants, burger seller, security guards? Minimum wage jobs? This is very far fetched.)

Development

RM15b for Pan Borneo Hiway, Gemas-JB project, Klang Valley Double Track project

(OSTB : Sampai bila that Pan Borneo Hiway is going to take to complete? Badawi began talking about it, about 15 years ago. Then Najib Moron included it in his super-duper economic impact entah apa project planning.  Then it went dead ?? under the PH government. Now its back. Ok Alhamdulillah. Lets complete this Pan Borneo Hiway. It is not really 'highway' standard all the way. Looks like regular JKR's Federal road. But anyway lets complete it a.s.a.p.)

• Rapid Transit System between JB and S'pore and MRT3 in Klang Valley
• High Speed Rail project, subject to discussions with Singapore

(OSTB : There is really no need to discuss anything with Singapore. Just build the HSR to JB. FIRST  lets do an Option A without Singapore. Who cares about Singapore?  Then have an Option B if S'pore wants to cooperate. But dont wait for Singapore.)

RM3.8b for bridges and roads in several states

Sin tax

• Freeze on new import license for cigarettes 
• Tightening of renewal of import licenses for cigarettes
• Restriction of transhipment of cigarettes to selected ports only

(OSTB: preserve the monopolies)

• tax on importation of cigarettes with drawback facilities for re-export
• Barring of all transhipment and re-export by small boats
• Imposing tax on cigarette and tobacco products in all duty-free islands
• 10% excise duty on e-cigarettes and non-electronic cigarettes, including vape

Digital transformation

• RM1b for Industrial Digital Transformation Scheme 
• RM150m grants for digitalisation / automisation of (SMEs)
• RM1.2 billion for microcredit schemes
• RM10b for Syarikat Jaminan Pembiayaan Perniagaan Bhd

(OSTB: Wow !! RM10b !! Siapa Chairman, CEO, BOD? Duit besar Yob!)

• RM2.5 billion for G1 to G4 contractors f
• MARA to provide RM50m for Bumiputera contractors

(OSTB: That is almost RM15.0 BILLION already.  Will all this RM15b money come back? Will the money be productive? Will this RM15.0 billion create jobs and employment.)

Tourism

RM50m for retraining programmes for 8,000 airline staff

(OSTB : Retrain for what? There are no jobs. Training consultants will make money. Create the jobs first.)

• 500 jobs for Orang Asli tour guides in all national parks
• RM50m for maintenance and restoration of tourism facilities 
• RM35m for Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council
• Special RM1,000 grant for traders, taxi, e-hailing and tour guides in Sabah
• Human Resource Development Fund levy exemptions for six months

Commodities

• RM20 million for sustainable palm oil certification programmes
• RM16 million for latex production incentives

Government to open a furniture industrial park to create jobs in Pagoh

(OSTB: The best thing I have heard so far. Industrial parks are a necessary component when you want to create jobs. NGOs CANNOT create jobs.))

Agriculture

• RM50m for organic agriculture project benefitting 1,000 communities
• RM150m for modernisation of fishermen vessels
• RM60m for modernisation programmes in the supply chain
• RM100m for impactful and high-value agriculture and livestock

Development of local products

• RM150m training programmes for 100,000 entrepreneurs
• RM150m for the Shop Malaysia Online initiative (What is this?)
• RM35m to promote Malaysia-made products
• Tax incentives for companies producing Covid-19 vaccines to invest in Malaysia

Science, Technology and Innovation

• RM400m for selected ministries and agencies to carry out (R&D)
• RM100 million for research into diseases, including vaccine development

(OSTB: Selected Ministries nak buat RnD apa pula dengan belanja RM400 Juta? Produk habuk pun tak ada. RM400 Juta oi - that is a lot of money).

Investments in primary sectors

• RM1b for investments in technology, R&D for electronic, aerospace industries
• RM500m for companies involved in advanced technology and innovation

(OSTB: This adds up to RM1.5 BILLIOn !! RnD apa ini? Which company involved in advanced technology? What aerospace? Is this more backdoor funding for GLCs?

• Tax incentives for certain industries will be extended to 2022
• RM1.4b to develop domestic supply chain, local products, medical devices
• RM3.7b for maritime and logistics development, tourism infra, public transport
• RM2 billion in targeted aid for SMEs

National defence

• RM16 billion allocated to defence ministry
• RM17 billion to home ministry
• RM2.3 billion to maintain military assets
• RM27 million to improve country’s cybersecurity
• RM500m for 1,000 homes for military personnel
• RM153 million for Rela

Transport

• RM300m My30 unlimited travel pass to Penang and Kuantan, Pahang
• Govt to introduce unlimited monthly travel passes at RM5 for students, disabled
• includes train services in Klang Valley, other parts of the country
• Tax exemption for locally assembled buses extended

Housing

Stamp duty exemption for first homes up to RM500,000

(OSTB : Bagus. Very good. Why not the Bar Council help? Tell all the lawyers to give 50% discount on conveyancing, S&P legal documentation fees for houses below RM500,00 for 12 months? Lets all chip in to ease the burden.) 

• RM1.2b for homes for low-income house buyers
• RM500 million for 14,000 PPR units
• RM315 million for 3,000 Rumah Mesra Rakyat
• RM125 million to repair dilapidated low-cost homes

RM310 million for civil service homes??

(OSTB : Tak payahlah.  Dah dapat gaji besar, dah dapat pencen. RM112 Bilion or 47% of Operating Expenses is to pay Gaji and Pencen of Civil Servants. Sekarang mahu kasi rumah free lagi RM310 Juta ?  This is too much fat in the Civil Service. Terlalu banyak lemak kepada Penjawat Awam. Lepas itu kerap ada kes rasuah keluar dalam media.)

Government to work with selected financial institutions for a rent-to-own scheme involving 5,000 PR1MA homes

Education

• RM50.4b for education ministry, 15.6% of budget
• RM420m for Supplementary Food Programme for students
• RM725m for dilapidated schools
• RM45m for special needs education
• RM14.4b for higher education ministry
• RM50m to improve facilities infrastructure at public universities

RM50m to upgrade internet connectivity in universities from 500Mbps to 10Gbps

• RM6b for technical and vocational education and training (TVET)
• RM300m for loans for 24,000 students to pursue TVET programmes
• RM29 million for TVET programmes under the Ministry of Higher Education

OSTB : Very good. But  this RM6.3b must be well spent on proper vocational training. Jangan buat kursus dua hari, lima hari, lepas tu dapat 'Sijil', lepas tu tak jadi apa. Lepas itu tak ada kerja atau kerja tak cukup. Buang duit. Consultant training dapat duit besar. Itu saja.)

Digital connectivity  (aka Telco Jadi Kaya)

• RM1.5b B40 credit of RM180 per person, benefit 8 million people
• Telcos to provide RM1.5b worth of benefits such as free data
• RM500m Jendela initiative, to boost internet connectivity in schools
• RM7.4b for MCMC to increase broadband service in 2021 and 2022

(OSTB :  One way or another that is at least RM9.4 billion worth of Telco related services. MCMC is NOT a telecommunications company. They have to spend that RM7.4 billion through the telco providers and suppliers. The Telcos will get Taxpayer's Funds again. RM9.4 billion.)

GLCs to contribute RM150 million to the Cerdik fund for the purchase of laptops for 150,000 students in 500 schools

Youth and sports

RM1,000 for three months for employers who hire fresh graduates 

• RM19m for national health programmes to encourage healthier lifestyles
• RM103m to build, upgrade and maintain all sporting facilities nationwide

Rural development

• RM2.7 billion for rural infrastructure projects. 
• RM1.3 billion for roads
• RM632 million for water supply
• RM250 million for electricity supply
• RM355 million to build new houses and repair dilapidated houses
• RM121 million to construct 27,000 lamp posts

Tax exemption and essentials goods

• 1% decrease in income tax RM50,001 - RM70,000 
• RM20 million to establish B40 community centres for children 
• RM170 million for early childhood education under KEMAS
• Further tax exemption for companies who hire senior citizens
• Tax exemption for disabled spouse increased from RM3,500 to RM5,000
• RM158 million for Orang Asli community
• tax exemptions hire former convicts and drug addicts
• RM50 million for houses of worship under local councils
• RM100 million to empower Indian community
• RM177 million to Chinese community 
• RM30 million to establish childcare centres 
• RM21 million to set up social support centres
• RM95 million microcredit financing for women entrepreneurs
• RM500 one-off payment to religious teachers to benefit 70,000 people
• RM1.4 billion allocated to JAKIM 

(OSTB : Pak Lebai kaya lagi. Dapat duit besar RM1.4 BILION !! Tapi apa produktiviti Pak Lebai? Budak Melayu Islam hisap dadah pecah rekod dunia, Mat Rempit mati berlumba motor pecah rekod dunia, kes ibu tunggal pecah rekod, kes buang anak pecah rekod, kes zina pecah rekod, kes budak tahfiz mati, kena rogol, kena liwat, kena pukul semua masih pecah rekod. Ekstremis agama masih ada lagi - serah kepada Polis pula. Lebai politik janji syurga depa tak tegur pun. Diam saja. Dapat juga RM1.4 bilion.)  

• RM4.6b allocated to empower Bumiputera entrepreneurs
• RM6.5b provide access to quality education to Bumi institutions
• RM1 billion allocated for reskilling and upskilling programmes

• OSTB: Wow ! Ini sudah RM12.1 Billion. 
• Empower tu what does it mean? 
• RM6.5 billion untuk "quality education" ? 
• Tadi Education Ministry sudah dapat RM50.4b. 
• Higher Education sudah dapat RM14.4b.  
• Technical and Vocational education sudah dapat RM6.0b. 
• Habis sekarang 'quality education' dapat RM6.5 billion lagi? 
• Banyak billion lah. 
• Habis university dan vocational tadi bukan quality education ke ?

Govt allocates RM2b to continue PenjanaKerjaya programme under Socso

Govt to allocate RM1.5b for wage subsidy for another 3 months, particularly tourism 

RM3.7b Skim Jaminan Penjanaan Pekerjaan (JanaKerja) to create jobs, improve skills

(OSTB: What is this? Ini macam alasan untuk bagi duit free. Tetapi siapa yang akan dapat duit free RM3.7 BILION ini? Orang miskin dapat direct atau duit ini akan "disalurkan" menerusi agensi dan pihak tertentu yang akan "AGIH" duit ini? 

Tuan-tuan, depa bagi duit cash RM3.7 billion itu TIDAK BOLEH jana peluang pekerjaan. LANGSUNG TAK BOLEH. Percayalah. Kecuali duit itu digunakan untuk buka kilang baru, supermarket baru, ladang kelapa sawit baru, gedung perniagaan baru, lombong baru, kedai baru, restoran baru, teksi baru, lori baru, projek baru dsbnya.  That is how you create new jobs. So please pastikan duit itu digunakan untuk mulakan aktiviti ekonomi baru. Bayar hutang tertunggak, bayar gaji tertunggak, bayar sewa tertunggak will not really help jana pekerjaan baru. 

RM400 million to abolish Felda settlers’ interest debts

(OSTB: Pengurusan Felda punya dunggu, sekarang kita taxpayer pula kena bailout RM400 Juta untuk tutup depa punya bodoh. Hello Chairman, CEO Felda jangan lupa thank you kepada Taxpayer ok?   Chairman, CEO, BOD Felda semua potong gaji lah dulu. 70% pay cut. Boleh?) 

RM200 million allocated for distribution of essential goods

EPF contribution reduced from 11% to 9% for 12 months beginning Jan 2021

RM24 billion  !!! for Socso’s employment injury scheme

(OSTB : RM24 BILLION?? This must be a typo lah.) 

contributors can withdraw RM500 / month from EPF for 12 months from Jan 2021

RM150m to Socso’s job search allowance for three months

Covid-19

Covid-19 fund ceiling raised to RM65b ??

RM1b to curb Covid-19 in the following ways:

• RM475m for equipment, supplies for health ministry
• RM318m for frontliners’ PPEs and hand sanitisers
• RM150m for National Disaster Management Agency
• RM50m to purchase equipment, lab supplies, medicine in univ hospitals
• One-off payments of RM500 to frontliners

Public health

RM2.2b allocated for monthly welfare aid, benefit over 400,000 people

Bantuan Sara Hidup

• renamed Bantuan Prihatin Rakyat, RM6b to benefit 8.1m people
• earning less than RM2,500 receive RM1,200 to RM1,800
• earning between RM2,501 - RM4,000 will receive RM800 - RM1,200
• Households earning RM4,001 - RM5,000 receive RM500 - RM750
• Single earning RM2,500 and below will receive RM350

My comments :

Tuan-tuan, jumlah besar Bajet 2021 adalah RM322.5 billion. Hasil Kerajaan (Revenue) pula tak cukup. Hasil Kerajaan hanya RM236.9 billion. Alif tolak Waw maksudnya shortfall adalah RM85.6 billion.  

Duit tak cukup. Jadi Kerajaan kena pinjam duit cover shortfall. Kerajaan kena pinjam RM85.6 billion atau 26% daripada jumlah Bajet.  

Bagi saya yang sangat penting ialah semua duit pinjam (dan bajet sekali) mesti digunakan secara berbaloi dan produktif. Maksudnya the money must come back.

Jangan pula duit dibelanja tapi ROI atau return on investment tak ada. 

Contohnya saya terima grafik berikut dalam WhatsApp. Ok sorry-lah kalau info dalam grafik ini bukan 100% accurate (ie saya tak pasti lah kalau JASA ada 60 pekerja atau 600 pekerja), tetapi JASA dapat RM81 Juta dan Frontliners lawan Corona Virus dapat RM62 juta. 

So apa guna bagi JASA RM81 Juta? Kerja apa yang JASA boleh buat yang boleh menguntungkan ekonomi negara sebanyak RM81 Juta ? 

Code Blue pula kata bajet untuk rawatan di hospital sudah kena potong :

Tuan-tuan sila perhatikan 'Pharmacy and Suppies' kena potong kaw-kaw. From RM1.9 bilion tahun 2020 kena potong 74% jadi RM512 juta sahaja untuk 2021. Sesiapa sudah biasa ambil ubat daripada farmasi Kerajaan di hospital ambil maklum lah. Lets see what happens. 

Now, look at this graph below here. For this Budget to work the government is assuming that the GDP will grow by 7.5% in 2021 !!  That is even better than China or Vietnam. Is this realistic? Plus this year's GDP is supposed to be a negative 4.5%. That means to go from negative 4.5% to a positive 7.5% the economy must grow by 12% !! Is this realistic? 

Look at the next graph. Growth by sectors. Construction is expected to grow from a negative 18.7% to a positive 13.9%. That is a total swing of 32.6% !! Boleh-ke our Construction Sector grow by 32.6% in 12 months ?? 

Macam tu juga in the next graph Trade akan swing from negative 11.9% jadi positive 9.2% atau total growth of 21.1% !! In 12 months ?? 

And the reason? '(Trade) is expected to rebound in 2021 following the recovery in global trade and supply chains'.

How do you know for sure? We need a big Insya Allah because at this point we do not know how quickly the world economy is going to rebound. From what I hear the business people saying - the world economy will continue to slide with 100% certainty for the next SIX months. Until April. Even until JUNE 2021 things look gloomy. If there is going to be any rebound, it is is going to be in the 2nd half of 2021. Even if the Corona virus vaccines start kicking in, it will be already half way through 2021. 

Itu saja buat masa ini.

Artikel ini adalah pandangan penulis dan tidak semestinya mewakili MMKtT.