Anwar Ibrahim |
- Anwar Wants BN vs Pakatan Budget Debate With Najib
- Kerajaan Gagal Sekat Belanja Berlebihan
- BN’s Budget Handouts Merely ‘Titbits’ For The Poor
- Budget Fails To Address Cronyism, Monopolies
| Anwar Wants BN vs Pakatan Budget Debate With Najib Posted: 28 Sep 2012 10:35 AM PDT Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today renewed his debate challenge on Datuk Seri Najib Razak, this time suggesting to take on the country's number one by pitting Barisan Nasional's (BN) Budget 2013 to Pakatan Rakyat's (PR) alternative. The opposition leader pointed out to how Najib had laced his Budget speech this evening with direct insults against PR and told the prime minister that if he was prepared to attack the opposition, he should do so in a debate. "Debate me. If you are prepared to attack the opposition and the opposition leader, why can you not engage in a debate? "Confine it to economic policies… or the Budget. I am now reiterating my earlier proposal that we debate ? that I debate Najib on the national Budget… PR versus BN's Budget," he told reporters after Najib tabled the government's Budget 2013 in Parliament this evening. Anwar had earlier described BN's Budget handouts as mere "titbits" fed to the poor and middle income earners, pointing out that the move would do nothing to narrow the country's income gap. The prime minister hopeful said the fresh round of cash handouts in Budget 2013 to middle- and lower-income Malaysians was proof that the government was merely concerned with its chances at the ballot boxes in the coming months. "The announcements of handouts to general Malaysians is just a small dosage for the elections… but the basic structural problem of the country, where the rich cronies and their family members amass millions of dollars of profits through improper means ? that is left intact," Anwar said. In his Budget 2013 speech, Najib took an indirect swipe at Anwar when he pointed out that among the leaders of the federal opposition were "those who were trusted as leaders to manage the nation's wealth." Anwar was finance minister under the Mahathir administration. "We recognise that the BN government is not without fault, but what differentiates us from the other is that they do not have the courage to accept mistakes. On the other hand, they make excuses and find fault in others. "Ultimately, parties that offer an alternative must be evaluated on their merit," Najib had said in his speech. "The rakyat know them well. Among them, there are those who were trusted as leaders to manage the nation's wealth. "If today they make promises, the rakyat must ask why is this leadership, while in power, did not take any action. "When they had the opportunity; and did not implement what they promises, what guarantee is there that they will fulfil promises when they are in power?" he asked. Najib pointed out that it was during the Asian financial crisis in the late 1990s when the country was "almost destroyed". |
| Kerajaan Gagal Sekat Belanja Berlebihan Posted: 28 Sep 2012 10:31 AM PDT Harakah Belanjawan yang dibentang sebentar tadi jelas menunjukkan kerajaan gagal mengendali perbelanjaan negara pada tahap yang meyakinkan. Dengan hutang negara melonjak naik dan berada pada tahap tertinggi dalam tempoh BN memerintah ternyata ia meletakkan Malaysia pada risiko seperti ekonomi Eropah bila perbelanjaan berhemah tidak menjadi panduan dalam mengendalikan ekonomi negara. Tanda kerajaan gagal mengurus wang dengan bijak jelas bila ia terlalu lumayan dan mewah memberi pelbagai insentif di luar kemampuan kewangan negara. Kini isyarat untuk kos hidup meningkat akan menjadi masalah yang akan sukar ditangani. Belanjawan yang dikemukakan jelas menyentuh insentif untuk semua lapisan tetapi lupa bahawa natijah kantung negara akan kekeringan wang akan berlaku yang akan menyebabkan perkara utama untuk memelihara kehidupan yang mapan tidak akan tercapai. Apa yang diunjurkan oleh kerajaan melalui belanjawan ini ialah seolah wang negara boleh dicetak semahunya untuk memancing hati pengundi dan bila keadaan menjadi runcing rakyat akan tanggung sendiri akibat keborosan kerajaan. Jelas belanjawan ini adalah untuk menyenangkan hati rakyat tetapi tidak mengajar rakyat untuk memahami realiti sebenar mengenai kedudukan kewangan negara. Disebalik semua insentif yang diumumkan yang jelas, ia adalah tawaran habis-habisan seluruh khazanah negara tanpa mengambil kira bahawa ekonomi Malaysia betapa stabil sekalipun tetap akan tertakluk kepada persekitaraan ekonomi yang tidak menentu di seluruh dunia. Kami tidak melihat unsur kemapanan belanjawan ini kerana inflasi yang masih dapat dikawal tidak boleh bertahan bila pertumbuhan ekonomi dunia muram akibat pelbagai perkembangan dunia yang berlaku iaitu krisis peperangan dan kempen Israel-AS mengenai ancaman perang ke atas Iran, peningkatan perbelanjaan persenjataan oleh kebanyakan negara, perubahan cuaca, keruntuhan institusi perbankan di Eropah dan pertumbuhan negatif ekonomi Amerika. Dalam iklim ekonomi seperti ini untuk memacu perbelanjaan melebihi dari kemampuan adalah risiko yang besar. Apatah lagi bila belanjawan ini meningkatkan subsidi yang tidak bijak kerana kewangan yang dibelanja untuk subsidi tidak mampu mengawal kos hidup pada keseluruhannya. Subsidi yang melonjak 4 kali ganda kepada RM42 bilion menunjukkan belanjawan ini sesungguhnya adalah untuk memancing undi bukan untuk mencermati dengan berhemah masa depan kewangan negara. Dalam hal ini isu subsidi tidak ditangani dengan berhati-hati sehingga kesan yang sepatutnya membantu mereka yang berpendapatan rendah tidak berlaku. Pada hakikatnya apa yang berlaku ialah kerana kos kehidupan keseluruhannya masih tinggi dalam aspek kesihatan, pendidikan dan pengangkutan. Kami amat kesal belanjawan kali ini juga tidak meningkatkan cukai arak dan rokok. Ternyata kerajaan mengenepikan realiti betapa kos kesihatan, sosial, budaya dan alam sekitar tidak diambil kira, akibat lobi kuat industri arak dan rokok. Jelas dari segi ini kerajaan gagal memberi perhatian serius kepada industri yang memberi kesan kerosakan yang tinggi bernilai berbilion ringgit bukan sahaja kepada generasi kini malah kepada generasi mendatang. Belanjawan ini memberi isyarat bahawa negara ini adalah syurga arak dan rokok. Penulis ialah Presiden Teras. |
| BN’s Budget Handouts Merely ‘Titbits’ For The Poor Posted: 28 Sep 2012 10:25 AM PDT Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today described Barisan Nasional's (BN) Budget 2013 handouts as mere "titbits" fed to the poor and middle income earners, pointing out that the move would do nothing to narrow the country's income gap.
The prime minister hopeful agreed that the fresh round of cash handouts in Budget 2013 to middle- and lower-income Malaysians was proof that the government was merely concerned with its chances at the ballot boxes in the coming months.
He pointed out that disbursing one-off cash aids to Malaysians but failing to address these allegedly "improper" amassing of wealth by government cronies would not help improve the livelihoods of the masses. "That is our problem ? because the profits amassed by the rich, in the billions, should be fairly distributed to those in the middle to lower income categories. "Now, all you do is feed titbits to these groups but you do not touch the massive monopolies that have reaped billions from the country," he said. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak unveiled earlier today a Budget 2013 filled with more goodies and cash handouts for Malaysians in a move that his political foes believe is tailored to bolster BN's chances at the ballot box when polls are held. He promised a whopping RM3 billion in one-off payments to families earning below RM3,000 monthly under the second instalment of his highly-criticised Bantuan Rakyat 1 Malaysia (BR1M) and a 1.5-month bonus for the 1.4 million-strong civil service in what is seen as an election budget before polls that must be held by mid-2013. The prime minister, who is also the finance minister, gave a RM250 handout to unmarried citizens above 21 years old and earning less than RM2,000 ? the bulk of the three million new voters who will head to the ballot box in the next general election. Schoolchildren will also get RM100 each from Putrajaya next year, while RM1.2 billion has been allocated for senior citizens, children, disabled workers and those with chronic illnesses under the 1 Malaysia Welfare Programme. Najib also cut one percentage point in income tax for the first RM50,000 of chargeable income, providing minor relief to the 1.2 million taxpayers in a country of 28 million. |
| Budget Fails To Address Cronyism, Monopolies Posted: 28 Sep 2012 10:01 AM PDT The Budget 2013 offers "small doses" of election goodies and fails to address basic structural problems such as cronyism and monopolies, said Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim. In an immediate reaction to Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's budget speech this evening, Anwar said the budget contained elements of gimmick that was "over the top". However, said the Permatang Pauh MP, it is a budget that is not based on domestic capabilities and international scenarios, joining the chorus of doubt on the freshly-unveiled budget's ability to tackle the country's economic situation. Here is what Anwar and other MPs have to say about today's revelations: Anwar Ibrahim, Opposition Leader It fails to address the international economic scenario, which is traditionally addressed in the national budget. Secondly, there is the unrealistic position in reference to the domestic capacity Both of these elements are not touched upon but instead we have a few political gimmicks that are over the top. The announcement for the public in general seems attractive, with small doses for the elections. But basic structural problems in this country where the rich cronies and their family members amass billions of ringgit of profit through improper means and fraudulent process is kept unchecked. That includes the monopolies, the independent power producers (IPP) and also the other related agencies. We have seen massive announcements … but (Najib) has failed – he has no courage to address the issues … Najib's reference to Pakatan Rakyat's stand on) PTPTN is an irresponsible statement… we defend our stand on this and on several others – Najib did not take into consideration the economic situation and the ballooning budget deficit (that Pakatan aims to tackle to afford its promises). There are conflicting figures that we will review tonight (at the Pakatan dinner) and at the event on Monday. Najib dares to attack the opposition but does not dare to debate. I was prepared to sit down and listen to his criticisms, but I want him to attend my speech on Monday 11.30am. He calls himself a democrat, so let’s see. Abdul Khalid Ibrahim, Bandar Tun Razak MP BN’s budget is very Putrajaya-centric, where the bulk of the allocation is spent to maintain ongoing government activities, programmes and policies. Consequently, only a small portion trickles down to benefit the rakyat. Pakatan’s budget prioritises the rakyat. We want to unwind the very activities that BN is maintaining. We are talking about unwinding the approved permits (AP) policy, unwinding the privatisation of government-linked companies (GLCs) and unwinding 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB). The federal government is responsible to ensure that the rentier class does not bleed the resources of the people. They must stop giving such a high profit margin to contractors as this will only encourage them to lobby for a business contract at a high cost. Abdul Hadi Awang, Marang MP The budget appears to be just numbers and billions of ringgit for projects, and not about fixing fundamentals and its implementations to benefit the masses. The large-scale projects, meanwhile, are used to siphon profits for the Umnoputeras. After decades of this sort of budget, the rakyat needs to understand that it is about billions of the nation's wealth down the drain. Lim Guan Eng, Bagan MP This is clearly an election budget that does not take into account the fiscal and financial position of the country. Last year the government overspent by RM20 billion. The budget will also benefit cronies through projects, so this will be problematic if Pakatan takes over next year. But I am certain Pakatan, under Anwar’s leadership, will be able to fulfill the Buku Jingga promises without pawning things out to cronies. Noh Omar, Agriculture Minister It is a good budget. This is the first time the government has introduced insurance for padi farming. If the farmers' crops are ruined by floods or disease, they will have insurance. Liew Chin Tong, Bukit Bendera MP There are no new policy ideas in this budget. It repeats existing policies and gives money here and there to buy votes. I hope Malaysians know this is their own money. It may help Najib’s personal popularity (especially) among the poorer households, but people have been talking about it for a whole year already. We are proposing fundamental re-thinking of (tackling) monopoly as a way to improve income, so we can give more cash to the hands of ordinary Malaysians. Giving money to Rela and residents' associations for crime prevention is like giving money to students for private tuition instead of improving education quality. It is the same in the police budget, which allocates RM1.7 billion for internal security but RM530 million for the Criminal Investigation Department. Nasharuddin Mat Isa, Bachok MP Looking at the incentives offered, it is quite impressive but I question… whether it can be implemented or not, because we are almost reaching the maximum (term) of our session. There are a few incentives that benefit the people, like the RM250 book vouchers for university students, whom we know really need assistance. Both Pakatan and the government have offered quite impressive budgets for the rakyat so it is up to the rakyat to decide. (The speech attacking the opposition) is something we have never seen in a budget presentation, but we understand that the election is close, so each side will use every opportunity to showcase their agenda, and the PM will have an advantage in this front. Anthony Loke, Rasah MP (The budget) is to buy off many sectors of voters. One very clear goodie to first-time voters is the RM200 to buy smartphones – it is a very clear target at first-time voters, and the book vouchers and so on. And also (to woo) civil servants with the one and a half month bonus. This is the first time ever the bonus for civil servants has increased to one and a half months. The timing is to win their support in the election. In the budget, there are not much changes to the direction of the economy. Salahuddin Ayub, Kubang Kerian MP Pakatan’s commitments are more fundamental, for example free education, and the abolition of the National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) through a staggered plan over the next 15 years. This, and the move to improve the incomes of various states through oil royalty payments is more important. This area was touched on too lightly by the Budget 2013, through the reduction in liquefied natural gas prices. That is not a holistic approach, when our objective is to solve the problems faced by the people and this requires true commitment. |
"The announcements of handouts to general Malaysians is just a small dosage for the elections… but the basic structural problem of the country, where the rich cronies and their family members amass millions of dollars of profits through improper means ? that is left intact," Anwar said.
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