Anwar says will only support if 2021 Budget really about COVID-19

KUALA LUMPUR: Too many questions have arisen from the 2021 Budget whereas it should focus on efforts to address COVID-19, said Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

He said among the things that caused concern were confusing income projections, money transfers to be used as government revenue and improper focus on development expenditure (CapEx).

While debating the Supply (Budget) Bill 2021 in the Dewan Rakyat today, the Port Dickson Member of Parliament said it seemed to stray from what the government had often said before that the focus of the Budget was to control the pandemic.

"In my opinion, we will only support if it is really the COVID-19 Budget. In the current situation, there are too many questions, projections, COVID-19 allocations, money transfers and development allocations that are not a priority.

“I propose that the Minister of Finance (Tengku Datuk Seri Mohd Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz) be very careful, listen to the arguments, so that COVID-19 matters are given priority.

“We (the opposition) are told, urged, advised to support the COVID-19 Budget, and we will only support the COVID-19 Budget… and not others,” he added.

Among the things raised by Anwar was about the country’s projected economic growth in 2021, which was at a rate of between 6.5 per cent to 7.5 per cent, which he described as unrealistic, and contradicts the predictions of some financial bodies.

He said the projection mentioned by the Finance Minister last Friday seemed to be an attempt to confuse the people on the true position of the country's economy.

“From where did the Minister of Finance get such great projections? Or simply to satisfy political appetite to convince us we can achieve growth with such confidence?

"Projections as I understand are not necessarily accurate, many times wrong. But it must be realistic, there is a determination to state the truth. Not to confuse all parties," he added.

In his debate, Anwar, who is also the Chairman of Pakatan Harapan, touched on the estimated corporate tax collection for the year 2021, which is around RM64.6 billion.

He said the projection was unreasonable, after taking into account the great impact of COVID-19 on the country's economy such as the closure of companies, large-scale layoffs and so on.