100 NGOS SUPPORT 2018 BUDGET
Reps hand over to PM, a memorandum to support the budget’s initiatives
ONE hundred Muslim non-governmental organisations (NGOs) yesterday handed a memorandum in support of the 2018 Budget to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
The memorandum was submitted by Federation of Malay Students Union president Zambri Mohd Isa, who represented the NGOs.
Najib thanked them for their support when receiving the memorandum.
Zambri said the budget’s initiatives covered everyone, especially Muslims and Malays.
“We wish to thank the prime minister for helping Malays and Muslims.
We hope everyone will support our leader,” he said after handing over the memorandum at the Prime Minister’s Office here.
He said the memorandum’s contents included support for enhancing Islam and programmes to improve the lives of the Bumiputera.
“For instance, the government has proposed an increase in allocations for Mara and allowances for imam and bilal.
“This shows that the budget was not designed for the next general election, but it is for the people.”
In the budget, Najib had announced that the government would continue to uphold Bumiputera interests as a national agenda, with an allocation of more than RM3.5 billion.
The budget proposed that RM50 million be channelled to GiatMara to upgrade and maintain wiring systems in registered religious schools.
Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Women and Single Mothers Association chairman Sheilla Tukimin said women would be empowered through measures in the budget.
“I am happy that the budget included allocations to benefit women,” she said.
Najib had announced in the budget the introduction of shorter working hours for pregnant women and proposed at least 30 per cent participation of women as board of directors in government-linked firms by the end of next year.