KUALA LUMPUR: Though the 2023 Budget is the biggest in the nation's history, there is no game-changing revelations when it comes to resolving the nation's economic crisis.
DAP stalwart Lim Kit Siang said the Budget also does not give the impression of raising the education quality, ensuring that Malaysia will not be a poor performer in the event of a global pandemic or make Malaysia a world-class nation.
"It rained money, with goodies all around, but does nothing to reverse the trajectory of the country in the past few decades of losing out to Taiwan, Singapore, Hong Kong, South Korea, Vietnam and more countries to come in future years.
"And clearly, it will do nothing to ensure that Malaysia's ranking and score in the 2022 Transparency International (TI) Corruption Perception Index (CPI) which will be announced in January next year will not be worse than TI CPI 2021.
"What Malaysia needs is a reset of nation-building principles and policies to transform Malaysia from the trajectory of a kleptocracy, kakistoracy and a failed state to a "tiger" economy and a world-class great nation," he said at the Penang DAP Dinner in Bukit Mertajam, last night.
The Iskandar Puteri Member of Parliament said that questions of whether Parliament would be dissolved to pave the way for the 15th general election (GE15) have been in the minds of Malaysians in addition to the economic crisis and the monsoon season and floods threatening the country.
"This speculative frenzy did not end with the tabling of the 2023 Budget by the Finance Minister, Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz as Malaysians are back to questioning whether Parliament will be dissolved on Monday.
"Would Malaysia move towards a healthy parliamentary democracy where there is a meaningful separation of powers with the rule of law and an independent judiciary?"