Pakatan Rakyat launches alternative Budget 2014

Pakatan Rakyat today launched its Alternative Budget 2014, ahead of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak's expected announcement tomorrow.

The document, "safeguarding the people's interests before the looming storm" is now available online.

It was revealed to the media in a briefing in Parliament by PKR's Lembah Pantai MP Nurul Izzah Anwar, DAP's Rasah MP Anthony Loke and PAS's Shah Alam Khalid Samad.

The budget plan was drawn up after more than 15 sessions of discussions and meetings 100 hours with 21 MPs in a special committee together with economists and experts, said Nurul.

She said that the budget, which predicts a 3.2% deficit to the GDP next year, was in line with Pakatan's goal to reach a level of "zero" corruption for the country, something she claimed the incumbent was not interested in.

"And Pakatan Rakyat has proven our capability to make things more transparent and efficient in the states we control," she added.

On the Goods and Service Tax(GST), widely expected to be touched upon by Najib tomorrow, Pakatan Rakyat stated that it was against such a tax at this time.

"There is a big possibility that Barisan Nasional(BN) will introduce it by 2015. If GST is set at 4%, the income won't be sufficient, but at 7% we gain RM7billion according to PEMANDU. But if we can save money, then GST is not even needed," she said.

Nurul described GST as a "lazy and easy way out" for the BN-led government. "It will become an addiction to the current government. You will only increase it from year to year."

"BN has no moral right to introduce the GST. Najib should be pro-business and pro-rakyat. There is no sincere effort by government to close the income gap," she said.

The Pakatan budget has four main trusts: Consolidating fiscal position and enhancing public finances, enhancing the well-being of the people and their quality of life, ensuring a more balanced, inclusive and sustainable economic development, and unleashing Malaysia's true potential and enhancing its long-term competitiveness.