‘2018 BUDGET PREPARED WITH 2050 IN MIND’
It forms the basis to put Malaysia among top 20 nations
PRIME Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said the 2018 Budget tabled last Friday formed the basis for the plan to drive Malaysia towards achieving further development and becoming among the top 20 countries in the world.
He said the 2018 Budget was drawn up with great care to achieve the future vision for Transformasi Nasional 2050 (TN50) besides being inclusive and fair to all.
“We were engaged in meetings for hours to prepare the budget... when we planned the budget, we based it on reality.
“This is not a drama, this is not a budget of the opposition party... this is the budget of the Barisan Nasional government, which has been in power for so long,” he said at a gathering with Kedah civil servants here yesterday.
He said the government’s aspirations could be achieved because the country had a government that knew how to administer and maintain peace.
Najib, who was on a one-day visit to Kedah, the first state that he visited after tabling the 2018 Budget, said it was important to feel the pulse of the people in whatever major policy implemented by the government.
“I want the leaders to go to the ground, meet people and listen to what they are saying because I will use them as input in drawing up government policies.”
While criticising the opposition party’s budget, which he described as a political drama, Najib said what was tabled by the opposition parties in their shadow budget was unrealistic, such as the pledge to abolish toll collection.
“To abolish the PLUS (NorthSouth Expressway) toll alone (will involve) an expenditure of almost RM40 billion... where will it get (the money)? We cannot administer the country with things that are illogical,” he said.
Similarly, the proposal by the opposition to abolish the National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) would also involve another RM40 billion, he added.
“In Islam, when we have any debt, we are obliged to pay it back... when we have paid it back, we have fulfilled our responsibility.
“We (the government) can give discounts, but the debt must be paid back... in the 2018 Budget, we have added further discounts... this is the budget based on Islamic syariah.
“It’s not promising this and promising that, promising the moon and the stars... as prime minister, I cannot do that.
“I will make sure I implement whatever I have said,” he said.
Najib said all aspirations and policies drawn up and tabled by the government would not be achieved without the support of civil servants.
“I consider the government officials and the government as being dependent on each other for their mutual survival... we must be together because whatever I table, it is up to the implementing officials to achieve them.
“If the civil servants implement their tasks wholeheartedly, we will be able to achieve all our aspirations,” he said. Bernama