PETALING JAYA: The proposed Budget 2023 is an election budget plan that seems to benefit the ruling parties instead of utilising it for its intended purpose, says DAP chairman Lim Guan Eng(pix).
Lim pointed out the timing of the budget tabling is close to early general elections held in November this year.
“Unfortunately, the current government appears to be obsessed with political survival and holding general elections at the expense of taking concrete measures to resolve our economic ills,” Lim reportedly said in a statement.
This is due to prime minister Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob scheduling the Budget 2023 tabling to be brought forward to October 7 during a cabinet meeting instead of the of the intended date on October 28, he said.
The Bagan MP also pointed out that the government should take a comprehensive appoach to lower surging prices by addressing the issues of fiscal bottlenecks, insufficient labour, depreciating ringgit, bureaucratic red-tape and economic growth hurdles faced by businesses in Malaysia.
“Clearly, financial measures and subsidies of RM77.7 billion alone undertaken by the government have not helped to arrest soaring prices, as shown by the rise in Gardenia bread. The price increases of Gardenia bread contradicts the irresponsible claims made by the current government that they have brought soaring prices under control especially when it comes to food, which rose by 6.2% in July 2022,” he added.