KUALA LUMPUR: Pandan MP Mohd Rafizi Ramli today acknowledged that the 2018 Budget tabled by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak benefits the people.
While hoping the budget had a more positive impact on the country, he also urged the government to emphasise on long-term solutions to the problems faced by the people today, such as rising prices of goods, employment opportunities and issue of hiring foreign labour.
“The provisions (in Budget 2018) need to be balanced with certain things, namely, it is necessary to have long-term goals by taking important steps to solve the problems the people are currently facing,” he said when appearing as a guest on the ‘Bicara Bajet 2018’ programme aired on RTM1 here, tonight.
The programme, hosted by Datuk Dahlan Maamor also invited Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Razali Ibrahim, who is also Muar MP, to discuss Budget 2018 which was tabled last Friday.
Mohd Rafizi said the people would welcome any announcement by government that would benefit them, regardless of which political party ruled the county.
“For me it is easy, that is if anything is returned to the people, I do not have any ‘complaints’... because the more which is given back (to the people) is better,” said Rafizi, who is also Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) vice-president.
Meanwhile, Razali said Budget 2018 was not merely an ‘election budget’ as alleged by some parties, and that it provided comprehensive benefits to the people to increase their income in meeting the high cost of living.
“There are also microcredit services provided by Tekun, Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia and encouragement to entrepreneurs to do business in order to increase income, as well as lowering of taxes to increase their (disposable) income,” he said.
On the Alternative Budget 2018 presented by Pakatan Harapan, among which it was suggested that political interference in Felda be abolished, Mohd Rafizi said the module of Felda, at the beginning of its establishment was the best, and witnessed the land development agency administered by experts in their fields.
Mohd Rafizi also acknowledged Felda chairman Tan Sri Shahrir Abdul Samad had played a good role in ensuring Felda’s management was on the right track, for the future of the settlers. - Bernama