Former Sabah chief minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal has shot down the 2021 Budget, claiming it failed to include all Malaysians.
The Semporna member of parliament said the government should focus on nation-building instead of catering to a single race or religion.
He said this was especially critical given the severity of the current Covid-19 pandemic, which affected everyone.
He said the government should also include the private sector in budget discussions.
“The private sector must be included too because it has one of the largest group of employers. They need assistance as they employ many dependents on a monthly basis.
“We want to build the nation, not just one race or one religion only.
“We must build all the races (in Malaysia) so that this country can move forward. We must ensure that the budget will be used for nation-building. Not for building a race. Not for building a religion. This is the way forward for the country,” he said when debating the Supply Bill 2021 in the Dewan Rakyat today.
In his debate speech, Shafie highlighted several matters that need to be prioritised such as rescuing the tourism industry players and providing aid for the M40 group.
Shafie, who is Parti Warisan Negara president, also criticised the government’s decision to revive Barisan Nasional’s propaganda tool, Special Affairs Department (Jasa) with a RM85.5 million allocation in the 2021 Budget. – NST