The Malaysian Insight

BUDGET 2021, which was tabled for the third and final reading in the Dewan Rakyat today was passed with a slim majority.

Dewan Rakyat Speaker Azhar Azizan Harun said 111 lawmakers voted in favour of the Supply Bill while 108 voted against it. One MP was absent.

Perikatan Nasional’s (PN’s) RM322.5billion spending plan – which comes amid an economic and health crisis – is the largest budget to ever be tabled.

The ruling government’s maiden Budget was passed in the policy stage on November 26.

The final vote today was played out against a backdrop of a subtle threat from former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Gua Musang MP Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, who had suggested at a press conference yesterday that it could fail to pass.

Both expressed their readiness to facilitate a new unity government if the current Perikatan Nasional (PN) government fails to pass Budget 2021 today.

However, Tengku Razaleigh was not present in the Dewan for the final vote today.

It will now head to the Dewan Negara where PN’s majority will ensure its smooth passage.

Up to its final vote today, Putrajaya only made one change to the supply bill since Finance Minister Tengku Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz tabled it on November 6.

The change involved halving the initial budget of RM85.5 million to RM40.5 million for controversial propaganda unit Jasa or the Special Affairs Department, which will now be renamed J-Kom.

The bill was passed despite the Opposition’s attempt for bloc voting.

The supply bill was tabled by Tengku Zafrul and was seconded by Senior Minister and Gombak MP Mohamed Azmin Ali.

“The passing of the Budget proves that Perikatan Nasional is a considerate government. I support the motion,” said Azmin.

His remarks caused an uproar from the Opposition bench, with MPs calling the ruling government traitors.

Meanwhile, the allocation for all 27 ministries was passed without a hitch at the committee stage, with the funds for the Education Ministry and Higher Education being the last two to be endorsed today.

Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim previously said after the bill was passed in the policy stage that the coalition will decide on its vote for Budget 2021 in the third reading of the supply bill.

He added that the bill will be scrutinised and voted on according to the funding for each ministry. – December 15, 2020.