The government should not expect a blank cheque to disregard the legitimate views and needs of the people ahead of Budget 2021, according to DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang.
Instead, Lim reiterated an earlier call for Perikatan Nasional (PN) to enter into positive and constructive discussion with Pakatan Harapan leaders to reach a confidence-and-supply agreement for the Budget 2021 to be passed by Parliament.
“The opposition parties are ready to respond positively if the political parties in government are capable of responding with a vision of unity and solidarity, rising above race, religion, region, class or politics, in the war against the Covid-19 epidemic,” the Iskandar Puteri MP said in a statement.
He said this in response to Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah’s latest advice, where he called on all MPs to put an end to political bickering and pass the Budget 2021.
Following that, the Harapan presidential council yesterday urged Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin to immediately begin discussions with the opposition on Budget 2021, which is set to be tabled on Nov 6.
Lim further questioned PN’s commitment to rise above the narrow politics of race and religion and respond to the Agong’s call, made five days after he rejected Muhyiddin’s proposal to declare a state of emergency that would effectively suspend Parliament’s sitting.
‘Time to put nation above party, above self’
“A state of emergency is not the answer to the Covid-19 epidemic.
“The answer is to have a larger Malaysian vision to inspire single-minded national unity and solidarity, regardless of race, religion, region, class or politics to fight the Covid-19 pandemic and not to plant greater national divisiveness and polarisation in the country.
“This is the time to put nation above party, and even above self, and not to jockey for political positions and benefit,” Lim said.
On Sunday, the king rejected Muhyiddin’s proposal for an emergency proclamation, but at the same time warned MPs against destabilising the government.
The confidence-and-supply arrangement proposal was mooted in light of uncertainties surrounding Muhyiddin’s majority support in Parliament, with initial concerns that the Budget 2021 would not be passed.
A vote against the supply bill would be seen as an alternative to a no-confidence motion against a prime minister.
According to a draft of the order paper for the Nov 2 sitting of Parliament, 25 opposition lawmakers have filed motions against the prime minister, while two government MPs have filed a motion of support. – Malaysiakini