COMMENT | Looks like we’re being taken for a ride with Budget 2021

COMMENT | I can't help but wonder if we’ve been taken for a ride by the opposition during this budget season in Parliament. As I have mentioned many times before, the tabling and debate of Budget 2021 are very crucial for two reasons.

The first and foremost is that the rakyat is depending on a proper budget allocation to help them and the country through a very tough pandemic period. Secondly, it is also about how the government that is currently administering the country is not the government that people voted for.

As much as it is a legit and valid government (let’s face the fact that under the law, MPs can choose to support whoever they want), the people voted based on different promises, manifestos, and coalitions.

Let us address the second issue first. Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim has been making attempts to take back power from the current Perikatan Nasional (PN) federal coalition. The last was when he grandly declared that he had enough numbers in Parliament to take the government. He even went to see the Yang di-Pertuan Agong. As we all know, nothing came out of it.

So the budget was to be the next step. If there are more MPs who vote against the budget, then it would mean that Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin would have lost majority support and has to step down. Also, if the budget is not approved, the government can’t function. Hence, Parliament would most probably have to be dissolved and fresh elections called...