OPPOSITION leader Anwar Ibrahim kicked off the Budget 2021 committee stage debate today by attacking the allocations given to the Prime Minister’s Department.

“Why is there a 10.7% or RM482 million increase for the Prime Minister’s Department during this time?” asked the Port Dickson MP.

“The Prime Minister’s Office now has 32 ministers and 38 deputies with a full list of media and economic advisers. It also has special envoys to China and the Middle East. What then is the role of the Foreign Affairs Ministry if we have to have more special envoys?”

He said there are overlapping functions between the Prime Minister’s Department with the Foreign Affairs Ministry.

Anwar also questioned the RM181 million allocation for contract staff.

“What has this additional RM181 million got to do with the Malaysians suffering and the front-liners battling the Covid-19 pandemic?” 

Anwar and Pakatan Harapan parties came under attack last week after the opposition failed to muster sufficient MPs to call for a division vote during the second reading (policy stage) of Budget 2021.

Only 13, mainly consisting of Pejuang and Amanah MPs, stood up to ask for division voting on Thursday. 

Following the fallout, Anwar also denied suggestions that he has offered to resign if he fails to unseat Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin within a week.

Perikatan Nasional has reintroduced a Barisan Nasional-era budget for the Prime Minister’s Department by allocating an additional RM482 million for it. – November 30, 2020.