Finance Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz tables Budget 2021 in Parliament November 6, 2020. ― Bernama pic
Finance Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz tables Budget 2021 in Parliament November 6, 2020. ― Bernama pic

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 9 — Parti Pejuang Tanah Air has today accused the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government of using the Yang di-Pertuan Agong's remark on Budget 2021 as a “blank cheque” to incorporate aspects of political opportunism into its latest budget.

Pejuang said this was evident through the planned RM85.5 million allocation of to revive the Special Affairs Department (Jasa), a Barisan Nasional-era propaganda unit that was dissolved during the previous Pakatan Harapan administration, that it said is not in the public’s interest.

“Such a large allocation to propaganda agency Jasa is one of the obvious symptoms that puts political interest above the people’s interest.

“Because of that, we believe that the budget tabled (in Parliament) does not cherish the spirit of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong's decree to put the interests of the people above political interests,” Pejuang said in a statement.

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The statement was co-signed by Pejuang’s four MPs — Langkawi MP Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Jerlun MP Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir, Kubang Pasu MP Datuk Wira Amiruddin Hamzah, and Sri Gading MP Datuk Seri Shahruddin Md Salleh.

Adding that the party was caught between a rock and a hard place, Pejuang said its MPs would have been accused of playing politics and disloyalty to the Agong if they refused to support the budget in times when the country was being badly affected by Covid-19.

“Pejuang is in a dilemma when it is asked to state our stance towards Budget 2021.

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“If they choose to support, Pejuang said its MPs felt that the budget was generally a populist one that failed to take into account public interest and the nation’s economic direction,” it said.

The party added it was unfortunate the government of the day was being insincere towards the concerns shown by His Majesty should the budget fail to pass in Parliament.

Therefore, Pejuang said they hope aspects of the budget raised and disputed by the people, economists, NGOs, academics and other members of society will be evaluated and subsequently corrected, and if necessary, cancelled.

This comes as Dr Mahathir earlier wrote in his blog that the allocation of RM322.5 billion was mind-boggling, questioning where the money would be sourced from as the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic has affected the economy badly leading to shrinkage in government revenue.

Jasa, set up as Barisan Nasional’s propaganda unit, was dissolved after Pakatan Harapan embarked on an austerity drive following its general election victory in 2018.

In Budget 2018 — the last before it was disbanded — Jasa was allocated RM30 million for all its activities.

In Budget 2021, the PN government has allocated RM85.5 million to Jasa with the Communications and Multimedia Ministry defending its revival plan by presenting Jasa as necessary to counter Covid-19 misinformation and other fake news.