Najib: BN can still 'do something' if PN disappoints on our budget demands

 

BN backbenchers club chairperson Najib Abdul Razak has assured his supporters that the coalition’s support for both Budget 2021 and the Perikatan Nasional government remain conditional.

The supply bill narrowly passed yesterday after most BN lawmakers voted in favour of it.

In a statement last night, the former prime minister addressed those who were “disappointed” over the way the coalition voted.

“I understand there are those who are disappointed at BN for not rejecting the budget even though both our demands were not perfectly met.

“But our stance is that we only have two weeks before 2021 begins, which is when the government will start spending as per the budget,” he wrote to his significant following on Facebook.

BN, which has positioned itself as a reluctant partner in the PN government, previously insisted that more should be able to withdraw lump sums from their Employees Provident Fund (EPF) savings.

Several top Umno figures have expressed disagreement over the conditions and mechanism for such withdrawals.

BN also urged that the loan moratorium previously given to everyone ought to be extended.

Under Budget 2021, the moratorium is offered to those whose jobs or income have been jeopardised by the Covid-19 pandemic.

In his statement, Najib expressed regret over how BN’s two demands were not met but opined that defeating Budget 2021 would deny the PN government the chance to “rectify” it.

“I and we (at BN) will continue to demand the PN government to fulfil their promises so that both these issues will be resolved as much as possible. The PN government has also told us that they are still working to fix these two things.

“If our wishes are still not achieved, and we still feel cheated after a reasonable time frame, BN still has the chance to do something in the future.

“But the passage of the budget is not the right platform (to do something) because we lack time before 2021 begins,” he explained.

 - Mkini