KUALA LUMPUR: Muhyiddin Yassin (PN-Pagoh) has criticised Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s RM388 billion federal government budget, saying it was devoid of details on the government’s policies to help the Bumiputeras.
While debating the budget, Muhyiddin said the government had seemingly acted hastily to replace the Wawasan Kemakmuran Bersama (Shared Prosperity Vision) 2030 launched by Dr Mahathir Mohamad in 2019 with the Malaysia Madani concept.
The Perikatan Nasional (PN) chairman said the Shared Prosperity Vision 2030 had given specific attention to the Bumiputera agenda as a continuation of previous governments’ policies, namely the New Economic Policy (NEP) and the National Development Policy (NDP).
“Up to now, I don’t see this agenda mentioned clearly in the Malaysia Madani policies or even in any of the unity government’s commitments.
“Thus, the government must explain, in detail, where is the Bumiputera agenda and policy stand in its national development plans,” he said.
He added that an impact study on the achievements of Bumiputera companies that have received help from the government must be tabled in the Dewan Rakyat.
“This includes short, medium and long-term action plans that have, and are currently being carried out by the government as well as its monitoring mechanisms, in line with the Tindakan Pembangunan Bumiputera 2020 announced by the previous government,” he said.
He also questioned if the government had carefully considered its plans to merge Yayasan Pelaburan Bumiputera, Yayasan Amanah Hartanah Bumiputera and Yayasan Ekuiti Nasional, saying that the three foundations played distinct roles.
“Won’t the merging of the three entities lead to their functions to be diluted, thereby affecting the target set for Bumiputera equity ownership?” he said.
He also expressed disappointment in the government for halting an initiative started by the former prime minister’s administration in abolishing a portion of Felda settlers’ loans amounting to RM8.3 billion.
On Feb 24, law and institutional reform minister Azalina Othman, in a written parliamentary reply, said the government will not be able to carry on writing off Felda settlers’ loans any longer as it has made a huge impact on Felda’s cash flow.
Muhyiddin said the issuance of RM9.9 billion government-guaranteed sukuk launched previously was intended to help with Felda’s cash flow.
The Bersatu president also bemoaned that the budget did not mention any other aid for Felda settlers, including on housing for their children.
Former prime minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s budget, tabled last year, made allocations for a scheme where second generation Felda settlers without a salary slip may still take housing loans, with the government providing a credit guarantee.
“Is this a form of revenge politics by Pakatan Harapan (PH) towards Felda settlers who rejected the coalition in the 15th general election (GE15)?” Muhyiddin asked.
He also claimed that many of the pledges made by PH in its GE15 manifesto were not reflected in Anwar’s budget, including on the elimination of cartels for food supply, provision of scholarships for the B40, and increasing allocations for the free breakfast programme for school children.
“Will Tambun (Anwar) admit that PH’s manifesto promises were mere political rhetoric? What about the pledges made by the other parties in the unity government?” - FMT
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