KUALA LUMPUR, July 13 — Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Sabah chief minister Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal today questioned Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin for blocking a debate on the Covid-19 Prihatin stimulus package, citing the need for check and balance.
Anwar, who is Port Dickson MP, said this is the first time such a huge economic package was announced and barred from being debated, adding that the debates were important as several economic predictions had also been made by the government.
He also questioned why important appointments to government-linked companies (GLCs) were being made, while the debate session was disallowed.
“Is it so that the previous announcements and future ones would not make it possible for the participation of MPs to debate?
“Why did we block the debate on the economic recovery? Meanwhile, the GLC appointments were happening,” Anwar told reporters at the Dewan Rakyat here.
Shafie meanwhile lamented that many businesses in Sabah were forced to shutter with many left unemployed, and demanded for an accurate statistic on the issue.
He said that the debate on the Prihatin package is therefore crucial.
Muhyiddin, however, reiterated his previous stand that the Covid-19 pandemic was a huge problem which the government was forced to contain, adding that he had to put the people’s welfare first in enacting immediate plans, and not wait to table the Prihatin package in Parliament firstly.
He, however, assured that Finance Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz would be answering any queries regarding the package.
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