PAKATAN Harapan will consider presenting an alternative budget after consultation with Putrajaya, 
PKR information chief Fahmi Fadzil said.

The Lembah Pantai MP said it would be beneficial for PH to present its take on certain financial issues.

Fahimi said the pact did not have an alternative budget last year as Putrajaya was amenable to its suggestions for the national spending plan.

“Many of our suggestions were incorporated and that was one of the reasons we did not have an alternative budget,” he said.

The PH communications director said if Budget 2023 ends up being an election budget, PH will consider how to present its policies in a separate budget.

“We will first follow through on the government’s engagement process with the opposition on Budget 2023 and then look into it.”

He added that traditionally PH would release an alternative budget a few days before the government budget.

Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob had said that Budget 2023 would be presented on October 7. It was initially scheduled to be tabled on October 28.

Malaysians are eagerly anticipating a raft of goodies and rewards in the plan amid looming polls.

In the past the Barisan Nasional governments had liberally sprinkled its money bill tabled on the eve of a general election with sops to reel in voters.

Ismail is under pressure from his Umno colleagues to call a snap election.

Fahmi said PH expects the government to plan for more efficient use of the taxpayers’ money to help families get back on their feet after the pandemic.

“I hope this budget is an indicator for how the government intends to use public funds efficiently.

“It must have greater transparency and accountability.”

He said that the health sector is a crucial area that needs to be addressed as families are still in dire need of care.

“The government also needs to focus on job creation and assisting the small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

“On education the government should pump in more funds for Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET) for students to take up the courses.

“The government should also look into climate change and how it has resulted in millions of ringgit in losses through floods and other issues.”

Subang MP Wong Chen said the opposition expects the government to be accountable and responsible in its spending plan as the country recovers from the pandemic.

The PKR member said he will be attending a September 13 engagement session on Budget 2023 organised by the Finance Ministry.

“This (engagement) is a good thing. We will see the presentation and then give our suggestions.

“The opposition is not here to defeat the budget as the country is facing economic issues.”

Wong said he will study the government’s revenue collection for a match with its economic projection.

As for subsidies, Wong was uncertain if the government could afford them.

“We want to know if they are targeted subsidies. We know (the government is) going to provide subsidies but where is the (money) coming from?

“How is the government going to pay for them? Are we going to get into more debt? (This is) because subsidies are an operating expenditure and not a development expenditure.”

He also added that PH will also raise the issues of funding for SMEs, labour problems, and checks and balances. – September 8, 2022.