Opposition Leader urges govt to postpone mega projects, focus on public health needs

KUALA LUMPUR: The 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP) should focus on efforts to provide for the needs of the people especially in the health sector, apart from resolving the problems of poverty and unemployment, said Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

The Port Dickson Member of Parliament today urged the government to postpone the implementation of mega projects and instead use the funds to help the people, especially the poor in the town, rural and remote areas.

He said the government should also spend big on providing infrastructure to give access to health facilities, in line with the needs of the people as they head towards the endemic phase of COVID-19 and deal with other health issues.

"This Parliament should be used fully to demand for this regarding the 12MP, if necessary postpone big projects, postpone new airport projects, ECRL (East Coast Rail Link) and review the MRT (MRT 3).

"What benefit is there for us to continue (with these projects) when there is unemployment, people lack food or are starving and the standard of education is below par now?

"As a matter of policy, the need is to provide adequate facilities and spend in a big way on health facilities, especially for the urban and rural poor," he said when debating the 12MP in the Dewan Rakyat.

The PKR president also asked the government to review its target of achieving a household income of RM10,000 per month by 2025, saying this is unrealistic given the country's current rate of poverty and unemployment as well as the weak economic growth following the COVID-19 pandemic.

Anwar also called for the creation of a special parliamentary select committee to monitor government agencies, government-linked companies and government-linked investment companies to ensure they are run in a more transparent and responsible manner.

"This transformation should be undertaken to ensure the administration of these bodies can function sustainably through the monitoring of this special committee," he added.

Anwar also said the government should ensure that enforcement agencies, prosecution bodies and the judiciary remain independent so that the confidence of the people in these institutions would not be eroded.

-- BERNAMA