KUALA LUMPUR: It is heartening to note that the government has tabled a generous budget that provides relief, especially to the low and middle income groups - B40 and M40 said social activist Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye.
He said the 2018 Budget has also included the proposal to cut income tax by 2 percentage points for those earning RM20,000 to RM70,000 ringgit annually and this will definitely help the M40 group.
“This segment is often left empty handed in the previous budgets, according to observers.”
He adds that the budget should also had provided higher income tax relief for those who have to bring up their children and look into their needs.
Lee said the individual tax relief should also be increased from the present amount of RM9,000, while the tax relief for their wife should be at least RM6,000 and RM4,000 for each child.
“Since 2016, the tax relief for a full-time housewife is RM4,000 while RM2,000 was given for each child below 18”.
He also also welcomed funds for education improvement, particularly the RM2.5 billion to help upgrade schools that are in poor condition.
“This will help ensure the safety of both teachers and students as schools are also considered as a place of work under the Occupational Safety and Health Act 1994.
“It is also in line with the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health''s (NIOSH) programme to create a safe and conducive environment under its Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) in School programme.”
Lee was also pleased with the proposal to increase the allowance for senior citizens from RM50 to RM350 and hopes that more would be done for senior citizens particularly in the area of health.
“Apart from the cash aid, the government should also provide more health benefits for them as more of our senior citizens are expected to live on their own when our country moves towards becoming a developed and high-income nation.
“In this respect, I also welcome the extension of medical facilities to the parents of retirees as it shows the government's appreciation to the contributions made by the civil servants.”
On the proposed RM720 million allocation to build 11 new police headquarters, six police stations, purchase firearm fittings and vehicles, Lee said it will increase the police's omnipresence which is essential in combating crime and improve the people's confidence on their safety and security.
“However, the government should also allocate fund to repair and upgrade existing facilities, including police stations and living quarters that are in poor condition.”
Special allocation should also be set aside for training as law enforcers need to constantly upgrade their knowledge and skills to face new challenges and threats in a borderless world, including from international terrorist groups such as the Islamic State, he said.
Lee also viewed positively the plan to re-establish the Socio-Economic Research Institute (SERI) under the Prime Minister’s Office and upgrade the Institute of Ethnic Studies at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (KITA-UKM).
“The re-establishment of SERI and KITA-UKM upgrade should be welcomed and hopefully they will contribute towards the improvement of ethnic relations in our country and chart out well researched solutions to address the various socio economic issues.”
Touching on the allocation for development of various facilities and the upgrading works of existing ones, Lee hopes that the government could also improve the maintenance culture.
“This can be done with more funding for maintenance works to be carried out by the relevant government departments, agencies and local authorities with dedicated staff to carry out maintenance works.”
Lee also said that sufficient funds should also be allocated under the budget, specifically to tackle social issues.
“More allocation should instead be allocated to tackle the multifarious social problems in the country such as juvenile crimes, illegal gambling , acts of violence and involvement in drugs which is alarming.”
To inculcate good occupationa l safety and health culture among workers, Lee hopes that the government would consider reducing or abolishing the import duty for personal protective equipment, such as safety helmets and goggles, to make them affordable.