AFTER more than 10 days of debate, the Dewan Rakyat will vote on Budget 2021 today.

The outcome of the vote will depend on how Putrajaya will deal with several contentious issues which had repeatedly surfaced during the debate on Budget 2021.

Umno has demanded that contributors be allowed to withdraw a lump sum from their Employees Provident Fund account 1 and an extension of a moratorium on bank loan repayaments for another six months

Other issues which have created a furore during the Budget 2021 debate are the RM85.5 million allocated to the governments’ Special Affairs Department (Jasa) and RM8.6 million to community activist group Penggerak Komuniti Tempatan (PeKT), which is linked to the Housing and Local Government Ministry.

Barisan Nasioinal Backbenchers Club chairman Najib Razak said its MPs’ support for the budget is subject to how Putrajaya deals with the EPF and loan moratorium demands.

The opposition has accused Jasa of being a government propaganda agency, while opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim accused PeKT of being a political tool, saying its RM8.6 million would be better spent on Covid-19 front-line workers.

The virus has seen a resurgence of infections in recent weeks, leading to the legislature shortening the Dewan Rakyat’s sitting in a bid to mitigate transmission.

But several ministries have yet to finish winding up to points raised during the debate, and Parliament has agreed to extend the sitting today.

“I propose that today’s session will not be adjourned until all the ministries have completed their budget winding-up and the vote is taken for Budget 2021 at the policy stage (Second Reading),” said  law minister Takiyuddin Hassan at the start of today’s proceedings.

The government’s motion was passed without any objections.

Among the ministries that will complete their winding-up speeches are the National Unity; Health; Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs; Entrepreneur and Cooperatives; Tourism, Arts and Culture; and Finance Ministries.

Finance Minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz will wrap up the winding-up session as the budget is proposed by his ministry.

The Perikatan Nasional-led government has 112 MPs – consisting of PN (50), BN (42), Gabungan Parti Sarawak (18), Parti Bersatu Sabah (1) and one independent (Lubok Antu). 

However, Sabah’s Bung Moktar Radin (BN-Kinabatangan) is not expected to attend due to Covid-19 quarantine.

The opposition, which has 108 MPs, consists of Pakatan Harapan (91), Pejuang (4), Warisan and Upko (9), Parti Sarawak Bersatu (2) and 2 independents (Muar and Simpang Renggam).

There are two vacant seats in the Dewan Rakyat – Batu Sapi and Gerik –  as these members recently died. – November 26, 2020.