‘GOVT SPENT BILLIONS ON SUBSIDIES’
Allegations to the contrary are untrue, says PM
THE government has allocated billions of ringgit on subsidies for various sectors every year. Any allegation otherwise is untrue, says Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
As such, he said, the people should not listen to accusations that the government did not provide subsidies because all these were lies.
He said he was aware that the people called upon the government to provide subsidies to ease the rising cost of living.
“As announced in the 2018 Budget, the government has allocated RM3.9 billion for subsidies on transportation and goods, such as cooking gas, flour and more.
“In addition to goods, subsidies were also allocated for electricity and toll.
“The government also allocates high subsidies to the health sector annually,” he said in a blogpost on www.najibrazak.com yesterday.
Najib, who is finance minister, said RM26.5 billion was allocated for healthcare this year, despite the sector collecting only RM600 million. The rest of the expenses would be borne by the government.
Since 2012, he said, public school fees had been waived, adding that the government funded about 90 per cent of university tuition fees.
“For example, the fees for a medical education programme before subsidisation is RM289,885. But, after subsidisation, students need pay only RM9,000 for the course of the study.
“This is another example of how education subsidies are channelled.”
For the housing sector, Najib said subsidies, in the form of deposit assistance, was given via the My First Home Financing Scheme, and subsidised low-cost housing, such as the People’s Housing Project, Second Generation Felda Homes and Rubber Industry Smallholders Development Authority’s Rumah Bina Negara.