KUALA LUMPUR:Former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said there was no basis for Finance Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz and any government leader to threaten MPs to pass the 2021 Budget on the grounds that civil servants and frontline workers would not receive salaries, pensions and allowances.
Dr Mahathir said based on his experience as prime minister in 1999, the allegation was completely untrue.
“When I was the Prime Minister in 1999, the Budget 2000 which was tabled in October did not continue its debate because Parliament was dissolved in November that year for the 10th general election to be held.
"After the election is over, the government with the new mandate has received the approval of the Dewan Rakyat for the initial allocation for government spending for two or three months while waiting for the Special Budget Conference to be held in February 2000.
“The initial allocation ensures that administrative expenses are not disrupted and salaries, pensions and allowances of civil servants are not affected.
"It also includes payment for other supplementary allocations either for ministries or to facilitate the lives of the people," he said in a statement on Friday.
The Langkawi Member of Parliament asserted that Tengku Zafrul and other government leaders were very irresponsible by issuing threatening statements aimed at pressuring other MPs to pass the 2021 Budget even though it was "a budget with many shortcomings and disadvantages."
"The statement directly aims to prevent members of Parliament from carrying out their responsibilities to ensure that the Budget is in the interest of the people and not the political interests of the ruling party.
"Based on the statements of the Minister of Finance and other government leaders, if the Budget is rejected, the people and civil servants will suffer as a result of the attitude of MPs who reject the 2021 Budget.
"If that is the stance of the Minister of Finance and government leaders, it means that MPs need to give a 'blank cheque’ and support for the approval of the Budget despite the obvious flaws in the Budget," he said.
Dr Mahathir hoped that Tengku Zafrul and government leaders would stop issuing baseless statements that frighten the people solely for the sake of their political survival.
On November 14, Tengku Zafrul said the government would not be able to pay all commitments including the payment of salaries of civil servants and frontline workers who fought hard to fight COVID-19 if the 2021 Budget was not approved in the Dewan Rakyat.
On November 6, Tengku Zafrul presented the 2021 Budget with the largest allocation in the history of the country at RM322.5 billion.
Dr Mahathir said based on his experience as prime minister in 1999, the allegation was completely untrue.
“When I was the Prime Minister in 1999, the Budget 2000 which was tabled in October did not continue its debate because Parliament was dissolved in November that year for the 10th general election to be held.
"After the election is over, the government with the new mandate has received the approval of the Dewan Rakyat for the initial allocation for government spending for two or three months while waiting for the Special Budget Conference to be held in February 2000.
“The initial allocation ensures that administrative expenses are not disrupted and salaries, pensions and allowances of civil servants are not affected.
"It also includes payment for other supplementary allocations either for ministries or to facilitate the lives of the people," he said in a statement on Friday.
The Langkawi Member of Parliament asserted that Tengku Zafrul and other government leaders were very irresponsible by issuing threatening statements aimed at pressuring other MPs to pass the 2021 Budget even though it was "a budget with many shortcomings and disadvantages."
"The statement directly aims to prevent members of Parliament from carrying out their responsibilities to ensure that the Budget is in the interest of the people and not the political interests of the ruling party.
"Based on the statements of the Minister of Finance and other government leaders, if the Budget is rejected, the people and civil servants will suffer as a result of the attitude of MPs who reject the 2021 Budget.
"If that is the stance of the Minister of Finance and government leaders, it means that MPs need to give a 'blank cheque’ and support for the approval of the Budget despite the obvious flaws in the Budget," he said.
Dr Mahathir hoped that Tengku Zafrul and government leaders would stop issuing baseless statements that frighten the people solely for the sake of their political survival.
On November 14, Tengku Zafrul said the government would not be able to pay all commitments including the payment of salaries of civil servants and frontline workers who fought hard to fight COVID-19 if the 2021 Budget was not approved in the Dewan Rakyat.
On November 6, Tengku Zafrul presented the 2021 Budget with the largest allocation in the history of the country at RM322.5 billion.
