FOLLOWING the Shared Prosperity Vision 2030’s (SPV2030) big launch yesterday, all eyes will be on Pakatan Harapan’s second national budget to be tabled during the final Parliament sitting of the year, which begins tomorrow.

At the SPV2030 launch, Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad said the vision’s elements will be incorporated in Budget 2020 and the 12th Malaysia Plan, to take the country into the 4th Industrial Revolution.

This will be done by reducing dependence on commodities and manufacturing, and diversifying the economy while ensuring equitable wealth distribution for all Malaysians.

Budget 2020, which will be tabled by Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng on Friday, is the government’s first opportunity to showcase how SPV2030 will be translated into action.

After a year of austerity measures, the public will be curious about what PH’s second budget entails. The pact has faced all sorts of pressure after making several belt-tightening moves to the national budget since wresting federal power from Barisan Nasional in the 14th general election last year.

For Budget 2019, PH was heavily criticised for cutting subsidies to groups such as fishermen and reducing cash aid under Bantuan Sara Hidup, the new government’s rebranded version of Bantuan Rakyat 1Malaysia.

Besides the new budget, the Dewan Rakyat sitting from tomorrow till December 5 will also debate a bill on the creation of an Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC).

The long-awaited IPCMC, which was proposed by a royal commission of inquiry in 2005, was tabled for first reading on July 17. The new commission is aimed at weeding out corruption and power abuse in the police force.

Other new laws on the agenda include the Political Funding Bill and Ombudsman Bill.

The bill on political financing is part of the National Anti-Corruption Plan, and is aimed at increasing transparency over such funding. The ombudsman law, meanwhile, is expected to replace the Public Complaints Bureau.

The government is also expected to give repealing the Anti-Fake News Act another go, after the Dewan Negara rejected the Lower House’s approval for the law to be abolished during the sitting in September last year.

The act was hastily passed by BN before GE14, and is seen as an attempt to stifle criticism of the government of the day.

After PH’s polls victory, the Dewan Rakyat passed a repeal of the law but was defeated in the Senate, where the majority of members are from BN.

PH is expected to re-table the matter in accordance with Article 68(2) of the federal constitution. Other than money bills, the Senate may also reject those passed by the Lower House.

The government, however, can bypass the Upper House by re-tabling the same bill in the Dewan Rakyat a year later.

After the bill is passed by MPs without any amendments, it does not have to go through the Dewan Negara again, and can be sent to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong for his assent. – October 6, 2019.