Holistic budget filled with goodies – Teo
KOTA KINABALU: The 2018 Budget tabled by Prime Minister cum Finance Minister, Datuk Seri Mohd Najib Tun Abd Razak is a holistic and inclusive budget that has given special attention to the middle and lower income groups, said Special Tasks Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Teo Chee Kang.
“The Budget speech was no doubt filled with goodies for wide and diverse range of people like the poor, fishermen, farmers, civil servants, taxi drivers, youths, women, students, National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) borrowers, not forgetting the Chinese, Indian and orang Asli communities, even haemodialysis patients are given due attention!
“The opposition may claim that it is an election budget or the sweetest budget, but whatever they may want to call it, what's wrong if it is for the welfare and benefit of the people?” he said in a press statement yesterday.
Teo, who is also president of Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), welcomed the announcement on the reduction of two percentage points of individual income tax for those who earn an annual income between RM20,000 and RM70,000.
He said this will surely lighten the burden of the middle income families.
At the same time, it is estimated that an additional 216,000 Malaysians do not have to pay income tax in year 2018 as their income does not meet the stipulated threshold, he said.
As far as Sabah is concerned, Teo said, apart from the RM1 billion for projects under Sabah Development Corridor, RM2 billion for Pan Borneo Highway in Sabah and Sarawak, RM1 billion is allocated to repair and rebuild the many dilapidated schools, and RM1 billion for development of communication infrastructure and broadband facilities in the East Malaysian states.
“Capital investment into the ICT infrastructure is timely as it is now an important enabler to boost economy growth.”
Teo said, the allocation of RM250 million for Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESSCom) including RM50 million for surveillance radar shows that the Government is committed to keeping our long eastern coastlines safe and free from intrusion.
“Due to the recent military actions taken by the Philippines government, the terrorists, militants and kidnap for ransom groups in the Southern Philippines are now shattered, if not wiped out.
“However, the huge allocation for ESSCom shows that the government is not taking security lightly but shall continue to put it as the top priority.”
In regards to the extension of runway and further upgrading of Sandakan Airport, Teo said, DAP could not wait to equate that as recycling an old news, which was already announced by the Prime Minister during his visit to Sandakan in May this year.
“This clearly reflects their ignorance that the announcement in March and ground breaking in May did not automatically come with approval of the full budget for the project.”
He said, the allocation for commencement of work in 2017 may be less than 10 percent of the total costs, hence further allocation has to be approved for works to be undertaken next year.
“DAP's comments are not constructive at all. Perhaps they should just state whether they are objecting to the project!
“To be frank, I actually did not expect that our claim for the special grant under Part IV of the Tenth Schedule of the Federal Constitution would be included in the budget.
“The Finance officers of the State and Federal governments are expected to meet and deliberate specifically on the issue of the special grant soon,” he added.