KUALA LUMPUR,Nov 19: Barisan Nasional MP Shahidan Kassim today told former prime minister Najib Razak that anyone who rejects the 2021 budget is betraying the trust of the people.
“Anyone who objects to the budget, including my friend Pekan (Pekan MP Najib), is betraying the trust of the rakyat as the people are waiting for it to be approved,” Shahidan (BN-Arau) said during the debate on the Supply Bill 2021, which covers the budget, in the Dewan Rakyat today.
He said those who had lost their jobs are waiting for the budget to be approved so they will get assistance.
“If we reject the budget, we will be unfair to them,” he added.
Last week, Najib had said that BN will only support the budget if contributors are allowed to withdraw RM10,000 from the Employees Provident Fund, and the loan moratorium is extended by six months.
Shahidan, the Perikatan Nasional Backbenchers Club chairman, said all backbenchers fully support the budget, adding that “we want to voice out our undivided support for the leadership of the Pagoh MP (Muhyiddin Yassin)”.
He asked of those who do not support the budget to be absent during the voting process.
He said he was clarifying rumours that one or two MPs do not support the budget and, due to that, it will be rejected.
But, he said, only some independents have so far rejected the supply bill.
He said PN now has 112 seats after the death of Gerik MP Hasbullah Osman and “even PH does not have the majority after the death of the Batu Sapi MP”.
He said he also supports the controversial Special Affairs Department (JASA) to be used as a tool to disseminate information to the rakyat.
JASA was allocated RM74.7 million in 2015, RM70.51 million in 2016, RM76.3 million in 2017, and RM81.7 million in 2018.
“In 2019 and 2020, it was abolished by PH. Now, it has only been given an allocation of RM85.5 million,” he said.
