DR Mahathir Mohamad will reject the government’s Budget for 2021 when it comes up for voting in the Dewan Rakyat tomorrow.

The former prime minister said he and his friends, whom he did not name, would reject the budget as it did not cater to the people’s welfare but was only concerned with keeping the Perikatan Nasional government in power.

“Because of that, my friends and I have decided to reject Budget 2021 and we do so with a full sense of responsibility and with the trust that we hold for voters until the end of our term as elected representatives,” Dr Mahathir said on his blog.

The two-time prime minister said the PN government had “threatened” the people over the budget by falsely claiming that salaries and allowances would not be paid if it were not passed.

“They also threaten MPs with (this) narrative.

“They are attempting to create a sense of unease among the people that if the budget does not pass then the financial assistance will not reach the people who need it at this time.”

Dr Mahathir said that such a threat was not true, as allocations that are not part of the budget had been approved before, citing one such instance in 1999.

“The salaries, pensions and allowances of civil servants and front liners will not be affected. Similarly, financial assistance for the needs of the people will not be affected.

He also accused the PN government of hiding the fact that all expenses for civil servants and front liners have been allocated until the end of January 2021.

Other reasons why he rejected the budget were the limited time given for MPs to debate the bill in the Dewan Rakyat and the government’s rejection of proposed amendments raised by MPs.

Dr Mahathir also challenged the government’s integrity, pointing out the “double-standards” he said it practiced in allowing shorter quarantine times for MPs coming to the peninsula from Sabah, while making ordinary citizens complete the full 14 days.

“It is only because the votes of these MPs are necessary for the government to approve the budget. Every action and change of policy is made as if they are merely changing clothes, and done solely for political gain.”

Yesterday, Sabah Deputy Chief Minister II Dr Jeffrey Kitingan entered the Dewan Rakyat yesterday for Budget 2021 debates after serving only 12 days.

The Keningau MP claimed he was given clearance by the Health Ministry through a medical officer from the Lembah Pantai health office who signed a clearance letter on Monday.

Dr Mahathir said that because of the government’s double-standards, the people are victimised when they are fined for not following the Covid-19 standard operating procedures.

“But if MPs on the government side break the rules, the rules are changed and they are freed from any punishment.” – November 25, 2020.