KUALA LUMPUR:The second week of the 14th Parliament is the start of the debate on the 2021 Budget which saw several demands made by the government and opposition blocs.
The debate started by Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim (PH-Port Dickson) on Monday who stressed that the budget would only be supported if it really helps the people cope with the COVID-19 pandemic by paying attention to the withdrawal of the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) and the extension of the loan moratorium.
Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak (BN-Pekan) said that Barisan Nasional (BN) will support the 2021 budget on condition that the one-off withdrawal of up to RM10,000 from Account 1 of the EPF and the loan moratorium extension were approved.
Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad (Langkawi) and three Independent MPs representing the Pejuang Tanah Air (Pejuang) party, on the other hand, reserved their stand on whether to support or reject the budget and hoped that the constructive suggestions made will be given a place in Budget 2021 before it was approved.
Other MPs who debated the Supply Bill 2021 also questioned the allocation of more than RM80 million to revive the Special Affairs Department (JASA) which was considered irrelevant at a time when the country was struggling with the COVID-19 pandemic.
Instead, they suggested that the allocation be used to purchase health equipment and supplies to fight COVID-19.
Most MPs, whether from the government or the opposition bloc wanted the 2021 Budget to be amended in accordance with their respective demands to help the people face the impact of COVID-19.
Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan (BN-Pontian) said the finance minister only needed to make a ministerial statement regarding the EPF and the moratorium in his winding-up speech before the voting process begins.
"I hope that will be done, (and) the statement on the one-off withdrawal of the EPF Account 1 will be included," he said when met by Bernama.
Dewan Rakyat Deputy Speaker Datuk Seri Rashid Hasnon said the EPF one-off withdrawal and the extension of the moratorium could be added to the 2021 Budget by simply including them in the finance minister's winding-up speech as it does not involve government spending.
"Yes, it can be done, because it does not involve government money, the minister can even announce it outside the hall," he told Bernama when contacted.
Finance Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz is scheduled to wind up the debate on the Supply Bill 2021 at the policy level during the fourth week of the sitting.
Meanwhile, a commotion erupted in the Dewan Rakyat sitting when Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing (GPS-Bintulu), while debating the Supply Bill 2021, said that ‘DG (Health director-general) takut mati’ (is afraid of dying).
Tiong had questioned why Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah did not go out into the field to see for himself the situation of the COVID-19 pandemic, instead only holding daily press conferences via live telecast.
The shouting match saw RSN Rayer (PH-Jelutong) was ejected from the Dewan Rakyat on Wednesday.
Another commotion broke out when the controversial statement was raised again yesterday which ended with Kepong MP Lim Lip Eng being showed the exit and suspended for five days from attending the sitting.
The Parliament sitting for this week sits for only four hours, from 10 am to 2 pm daily from Monday to Thursday, with only 80 Members of Parliament - 41 from the government and 39 from the opposition and Independent - allowed to be in the House at any one time.
-- BERNAMA
Bernama
Fri Nov 13 2020
Another commotion broke out when the controversial statement was raised again yesterday which ended with Kepong MP Lim Lip Eng being showed the exit and suspended for five days from attending the sitting. - foto BERNAMA
Raih RM31 juta sejak ditayangkan! Sheriff kini filem no. 1 di Malaysia
Berita gembira ini turut disokong oleh abang Syafiq, Syamsul Yusof yang turut bangga dengan kejayaan naskhah yang dihasilkan adiknya.
Letupan bom Sungai Golok: PDRM tingkat kawalan keselamatan sempadan Malaysia-Thailand
PDRM mempertingkatkan kawalan keselamatan di sempadan Malaysia-Thailand susulan insiden letupan bom dan bunyi tembakan di Sungai Golok.
Pemain ragbi meninggal dunia selepas perlawanan pasukan pilihan MB Kedah
Seorang bekas pemain Sukma Kedah meninggal dunia selepas menyertai perlawanan pertunjukan pasukan pilihan Menteri Besar Kedah pada Ahad.
OCC: Masih banyak usaha perlu dibuat dalam isu hak kanak-kanak
Masih banyak yang perlu dilakukan kerana Malaysia masih ketinggalan berbanding negara lain dalam menangani isu penderaan dan masalah sosial melibatkan kanak-kanak.
iPad Pro mungkin dijana dengan cip Apple M4 terbaharu, fokus ciri AI
Cip Apple M4 dijangka memfokuskan kepada keupayaan enjin neural yang disertakan bersama dengannya membolehkan ia menawarkan ciri AI yang lebih baik.
Lebih 840,000 permohonan untuk London Marathon 2025 pecah rekod dunia
Jumlah permohonan untuk menyertai larian TCS London Marathon tahun depan telah memecahkan rekod dunia.
WEF: Anwar jumpa 50 pemimpin industri & perniagaan, yakin pelabur bernilai tinggi pilih Malaysia
Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim menzahirkan keyakinan lebih banyak pelabur bernilai tinggi akan memilih Malaysia sebagai destinasi pelaburan mengikut jejak langkah syarikat-syarikat gergasi seperti Tesla, AWS, Infineon dan Nvidia.
AWANI Ringkas: Ikut jejak syarikat gergasi lain
Ikuti rangkuman berita utama yang menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari di Astro AWANI menerusi AWANI Ringkas.
Bursa Malaysia dibuka tinggi seiring prestasi Wall Street
Bursa Malaysia dibuka rendah pada Isnin, mengambil petunjuk pasaran serantau dan kenaikan di Wall Street pada hari Jumaat.
Kementerian Perpaduan kaji keperluan pelan tindakan pendidikan & penghargaan Rukun Negara
Kementerian Perpaduan Negara melalui Jabatan Perpaduan dan Integrasi Nasional akan mengkaji keperluan untuk melancarkan Pelan Tindakan Pendidikan & Penghargaan Rukun Negara sejajar dengan Dasar Perpaduan Negara 2021-2030.
Polis Jerman rampas 4 kereta Bugatti Veyron edisi terhad yang dikaitkan dengan 1MDB
Kenderaan berkenaan dikatakan sebahagian daripada siri "Legenda" khas Bugatti Veyron, dengan hanya 18 daripada supercar tersebut dibina dalam enam spesifikasi.
Rumah Najib boleh jadi penjara - Peguam
Rumah bekas Perdana Menteri itu boleh dijadikan sebagai penjara dan tempat tahanan untuk beliau seperti yang termaktub dalam undang-undang.
Kes 1MDB: Najib percaya Blackstone dikawal Arab Saudi, Raja Abdullah - Saksi
Saksi memberitahu Najib percaya bahawa syarikat Blackstone Asia Real Estate Partners dikawal oleh kerajaan Arab Saudi dan Raja Arab Saudi.
1MDB: Prosiding Najib julung kali dibuat pada Sabtu
Perbicaraan pertama dibuat pada hujung minggu ini berlangsung tepat jam 8.30 pagi, selepas bekas Perdana Menteri itu dibawa pihak berkuasa dengan menaiki kenderaan dari Jabatan Penjara.
'Kementerian Kewangan tiada rekod surat kelulusan Najib bagi 1MDB ambil alih Tanjong Energy, Genting Sanyen' - Saksi
Dalam siasatan SPRM, Kementerian Kewangan mengesahkan tidak mempunyai rekod ke atas kedua-dua surat tersebut.
Najib diberi peluang jelaskan mengenai dokumen 1MDB ketika disoal siasat - Pegawai SPRM
Mahkamah Tinggi diberitahu bahawa Najib diberi peluang untuk menjelaskan secara terperinci mengenai dokumen berkaitan 1MDB, ketika disoal siasat.
Najib tak pernah arah pengurusan 1MDB pindah AS$1.03 bilion kepada syarikat Jho Low - Saksi
Mahkamah Tinggi diberitahu bahawa Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak tidak pernah mengarahkan mana-mana individu daripada pengurusan 1MDB untuk memindahkan AS$1.03 bilion kepada syarikat Jho low.
1MDB: SPRM ke Riyadh untuk sahkan surat derma RM2.6 bilion - Saksi
Penguasa Kanan SPRM Nur Aida Arifin berkata pihaknya telah pergi ke Istana Riyadh pada 2015 bagi mengadakan pertemuan dengan dua putera Arab Saudi.
1MDB: Najib tak dedah mengenai pertemuan dengan Raja Arab Saudi ketika siasatan - Saksi
Najib tidak memaklumkan kepada SPRM mengenai pertemuan delegasi Malaysia bersama Raja Arab Saudi, Almarhum Raja Abdullah Abdul Aziz Al-Saud.
1MDB: Muhammad Shafee ditegur hakim kerana bersikap 'keterlaluan'
Ketua peguam bela yang mewakili Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak ditegur apabila dilihat menyerang kredibiliti pengawai penyiasat Suruhanjaya Pencegahan Rasuah Malaysia (SPRM) ketika perbicaraan.