ANWAR Ibrahim has warned Perikatan Nasional that the opposition will not back Budget 2021 if amendments are not made to show the government’s sincerity in wanting to fight the Covid-19 pandemic.

The opposition leader urged Putrajaya to review the budget and slammed Finance Minister Tengku Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz for his veiled threat that the government will not be able to pay all commitments including the payment of salaries of civil servants, which would also suppress Covid-19 frontliners if the budget is not passed.

“I think this is a dull and threatening statement as well as part of a move to set aside the voice of the majority of MPs.

“I am confident that we are able to present a better budget or make the necessary amendments for the benefit of the people.

“The government needs to relook at the budget and the opposition will only support it if it is really a budget to fight Covid-19 and take care of the people,” Anwar said in a statement today.

On Monday, while debating the budget in the Dewan Rakyat, Anwar questioned the government’s projected growth of the country’s gross domestic product, which is expected to expand between 8.6% and 9.6% in 2021, claiming it is “unrealistic”.

In his 90-minute speech, Anwar said Budget 2021 was “an ordinary budget under extraordinary times”.

“In fact, I would say it’s a misleading budget,” the former finance minister had said.

He said although the Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry has said the government is providing RM3 billion to obtain Covid-19 vaccines, the sum could not be found in Budget 2021 notes. – November 15, 2020.