It is not an election budget, says Umno

Rapt attention: Traders at Pasar Malam Presint 2 in Putrajaya watching a live streaming of Finance Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz tabling Budget 2023 in Parliament. — Bernama

PETALING JAYA: While Umno insists that Budget 2023 is not an election budget, other political parties feel otherwise.

Umno information chief Shahril Hamdan, who is also the economic director in the Prime Minister’s Office, said although the financial assistance is the highest ever, it is not a populist budget.

“There are those who say that the Budget is for the election, to the extent that the Opposition is attacking the implementation strategies. Ironically, they are using terms such as ‘goodies’, ‘comprehensive’ and ‘good things’.

“This Budget, however, is not about ingratiating ourselves with the people by doling out cash assistance,” he said.

“The cash assistance may be the highest ever in any budget, but the Budget does not leave out long-term agendas so this is not (a) populist (budget).”

Pointing out the RM95bil allocation for development expenditure as the biggest in history, Shahril said this Budget does not merely put cash into the common man’s pockets as it “shows competency in managing situations and building the country not only for today”.

“It does not ask the people to tighten their belts as the government of 2019 did. It does not promise the moon, stars and flying cars,” he said, taking a dig at the then Pakatan Harapan administration.

Gerakan president Datuk Dr Dominic Lau felt that it is not an inclusive budget as touted by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

“There is no spirit of Keluarga Malaysia as it does not treat all races fairly. There are no allocations for Chinese schools and no extra funds for the non-bumiputra.

“Also, even though the country is facing economic challenges post-Covid-19, the budget does not provide complete recovery strategies, and the middle-income earners do not get much benefit,” he said.

Lau pointed out that the two percentage points in income tax cut is not helpful to the middle-income earners and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) facing inflation as well as the slide in the value of the ringgit.

He added that while the government allocated loans for Chinese SMEs and entrepreneurs with a RM200mil fund at a 4% interest rate, the interest rate for civil servants has been lowered to 2%.

“The interest rate for loan schemes for the Chinese (SMEs) should also be lowered to 2%.”

Parti Amanah Negara deputy president Datuk Mahfuz Omar said presenting Budget 2023 as Umno pushes for snap polls is like belittling the people.

“I hope the government will not belittle the people by presenting a budget but has no intention of getting it passed by the two Houses of Parliament.

“A responsible government should not offer a budget that says: ‘If you want this budget, you have to vote for us.’

“That is not right in a democratic country,” he added.