KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 12): Tun Dr Mahathir Mohammad has accused the Government of not taking COVID-19 seriously, saying it was allocating only a small fraction of the “gargantuan” RM322.5 billion Budget 2021 on efforts to combat the pandemic.   

Debating the Supply Bill 2021 at the Dewan Rakyat today, the former premier came down hard on Putrajaya for giving just 1% of the total Budget towards fighting COVID-19 while allocating huge sums for other expenses.

“RM3 billion, or merely 1% of the budget, shows that the Government is not serious about handling the pandemic,” he said during his 30-minute speech.

Noting that no new taxes have been proposed to fund the massive cost of the Budget, Mahathir warned that if the Government resorted to borrowing more money to fund the Budget, Malaysia will be saddled with debt of over RM1.3 trillion.

The Langkawi MP also took a swipe at the Government’s allocations to upgrade Government department and Ministry offices.

“The allocations to many departments have gone up by 520% in the budget. These development allocations can be postponed,” he said.

The veteran politician took aim at the allocation for the Prime Minister’s Department which had gone up from RM7.9 billion this year to RM11.7 billion in the 2021 Budget.

He also questioned the increase for special projects to RM1 billion from RM100 million previously.  

What is the need to spend RM125 million on the Angkasapuri complex?” he said, referring to the building that houses the headquarters of Malaysia's national broadcaster.

He also cited the RM125 million allocation for the construction of a new Angkasapuri complex to house national broadcaster RTM.

“We must postpone these projects,” he said, stressing that these funds should be channelled towards battling COVID-19.

Mahathir also mooted a 30% pay cut for Ministers and Deputy Ministers.

“The Government has so many Minister’s posts and Deputies, but they cannot carry out their duties due to COVID-19. I propose they all should take a 30% pay cut to help with the current situation.

“I don’t think they will starve if they take the cut. On the other hand there are people really starving and have lost their livelihoods, maybe this can go some way to helping them,” he said.

Mahathir, like some lawmakers who had spoken on the Budget 2021 earlier, reserved his comment on whether he would be supporting the Budget.

“I reserve my comment as well as that of my party on whether we will support Perikatan Nasional’s Budget for 2021,” he said.

Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s position seems unstable at the moment as a vote of no confidence for the Budget will mean a vote of no confidence for his stewardship as Prime Minister.  

The Bersatu leaders needs the Budget to be passed to ensure he stays in power. But with many MPs appearing non-committal on the Budget, it remains to be seen if Muhyiddin can hold on to power.

During his speech, Mahathir also took a swipe at former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, calling him a criminal.

Referring to Najib’s speech in Dewan Rakyat on Budget 2021 earlier this week, he asked how was it that the newly crowned Barisan Nasional Backbenchers Club chairman can speak in Parliament but cannot attend his criminal trial.

“It is strange that the criminal trial is postponed, but the criminal can speak in Parliament,” he said.

“Surely he can attend his trial. Practise social distancing and limit the numbers of people at the trial. If we wait for COVID-19 to end we will have to wait for years, and he will be free.”

Najib is currently on trial on four counts of abuse of power for using his position as the then Prime Minister, Finance Minister and 1MDB board of advisers’ chairman to receive gratification worth RM2.28 billion.

He also faces 21 counts of money laundering involving over RM4.3 billion.

In July, Najib was found guilty on all seven charges brought against him in the RM42 million SRC International trial.