DAP outlines 9 proposals for Budget 2023 in memo to govt

 

Describing Malaysia as being at a “crucial juncture”, DAP today submitted a memorandum on Budget 2023 to the government.

The memorandum drew a particular focus on rebuilding small to medium enterprises (SMEs) resilience, food security, flood preparedness and health among other themes.

DAP said the government should not “pull the rug out from under the rakyat’s feet”, given that the country was only beginning to recover from the Covid-19 pandemic

“With many vulnerable households having been pushed into poverty, unemployment and underemployment in the last two years, broad-based support is still needed to protect and empower these livelihoods.

“At the same time, as the worst of the health crisis is behind us, we need to think ahead and make sure we do not just survive but also thrive in an increasingly unpredictable world.

“With this in mind, we call for Budget 2023 to focus on sustaining government spending as Malaysia moves beyond recovery efforts, but also building its resilience towards future disruptions,” read the memorandum.

Led by party president Anthony Loke, the memorandum was presented to Finance Minister Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz in Putrajaya by a team of policymakers which included Kota Kinabalu MP Chan Foong Hin, and Damansara MP Tony Pua.

The party noted that its proposals were also in line with the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP) - which will be approaching its halfway mark next year.

“For us to build back better in the post-pandemic era, we need to ensure the budget pushes the 12MP’s agenda of resetting the economy, while maintaining focus on progressive ideals of social security, wellbeing, inclusivity, and sustainability,” it said.

Additional RM2.5b for flood mitigation

In the memorandum, the party included measures such as:

• Allocation for the Youth and Sports Ministry to be restored to at least RM1.29 billion - as per the Pakatan Harapan government’s 2019 Budget

• A reduction in Malaysia’s applied rice tariffs

• Increased subsidies for rice farmers to RM500 per metric tonne from RM360 per metric tonne

• To reduce the lowest tax threshold for SMEs to 15 percent from 17 percent - with chargeable income subjected to this rate should be increased to the first RM1 million instead of RM600,000

• To incentivise airlines to bring in foreign tourists

• To provide RM1 billion worth of specific investment tax incentives and grants for the relocation of all types of industries, particularly all manufacturing sectors to Sabah and Sarawak

• Total development allocations to Sabah and Sarawak will make up 30 percent of the total development budget

• Allocate an additional RM2.5 billion on top of flood mitigation efforts as an assistance fund for flood victims of up to RM50,000 per affected household

• Drastically ramp up manpower in the public healthcare system, including addressing issues faced by the contract health workers. - Mkini