FARMERS, fishermen, students, civil servants and the middle class are among the biggest beneficiaries in what the Najib administration has called the ‘mother of all budgets’ as it seeks another mandate in the 14th general election.

Despite its most attractive announcements such as abolishing four tolls and a special RM1,500 payment for civil servants, Putrajaya’s allocation for development remained the same as 2017.

Next year, the government has earmarked RM46 billion or 16% of the RM280.25 billion of  Budget 2018 budget for development.

But the feel-good vibes were not shared throughout the Dewan Rakyat.

As cheers erupted from Barisan Nasional backbenchers in support of Prime Minister Najib Razak, oppostion MPs shouted ‘kleptocracy’ at the end of his speech.

Those in the agriculture sector got the biggest allocation ever in the government’s history as Najib announced RM6.5 billion in several schemes for farmers, fishermen and those rearing livestock.

Apart from the one-off RM1,500 special payment to civil servants, support staff will receive a second time-based promotion after 13 years from the first promotion.

These two groups are a traditional support base for Najib’s party Umno, whose 86 parliamentary seats are mainly in rural areas of the Peninsula.

In addition, paddy farmers will get a special RM200 monthly allowance for three months while they wait to harvest their crops.

Besides their RM1,500 payment, public servants are eligible for a minimum pension of RM1,000 for 25 years of service.

They will also get extra leave facilities which include:

• 360 days of maternity leave, up from 300 days.
• A cash award in lieu of accumulated leave for more than 150 days.
• Special leave for education officers.
• Unrecorded leave up to seven days throughout their service for the purpose of umrah.
• New flexible working hours from 9am to 6pm.
• Flexible working hours one day a week, for Grade UD54 and above Medical Specialists who have served a minimum of four years and meet certain requirements.
• Allow working women in their five month onwards of pregnancy to leave work an hour earlier. Husbands are also allowed to go home an hour earlier with a allowed to leave work an hour earlier with a condition that they work in the same location.

Umno and the Barisan Nasional coalition it leads are facing an oppositon coalition that has been emboldened by the involvement of Dr Mahathir Mohamad, a former prime minister widely respected by rural Malay Muslims.

Dr Mahathir’s party Bersatu, which is part of the Pakatan Harapan alliance, claims that it is getting wide, if silent, support from rural Malays who have been squeezed by rising inflation.

Under Budget 2018’s RM6.5 billion allocation for the agriculture sector, one third will be for fertilisers and production inputs for paddy farmers, rubber smallholders and fishermen.

About RM500 million will go towards improving irrigation and infrastructure while a total of RM390 million has been set aside for improving yields for rubber, oil palm and coconuts. – October 27, 2017.