.jpg "Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad blamed those who are in the government for being corrupt after allegedly receiving benefits from Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s administration, and said that Opposition MPs who did not oppose the Bill are supporting this government with their actions. ― Picture by Yusof Mat Isa")
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 26 ― Langkawi MP Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has expressed his dismay at MPs, including most of the Opposition, in Parliament today who did not stand to oppose the approval of Budget 2021.
He blamed those who are in the government for being corrupt after allegedly receiving benefits from Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s administration, and said that Opposition MPs who did not oppose the Bill are supporting this government with their actions.
“A government that is built from bribes and kickbacks to MPs and a government that is corrupt is being supported by these MPs and the Opposition MPs without any sense of guilt that they have now betrayed their promise to the people.
“This is what happened in Parliament today,” the former prime minister from Parti Pejuang Tanah Air (Pejuang) said in a statement.
“As far as Pejuang and I are concerned, including several other MPs, we are firm in our stance to not support the passing of the Budget,” he added.
Dr Mahathir said besides him, three other Pejuang MPs had stood up to support the failed bloc vote: Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir (Jerlun), Datuk Amiruddin Hamzah (Kubang Pasu), and Datuk Shahruddin Salleh (Sri Gading).
Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said he instructed his side’s lawmakers to allow Budget 2021 through the policy stage as he did not want to be seen as blocking aid and concessions announced by the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government.
Dr Mahathir also said that the public should not give in to corruption and that eradicating it is the only way to save the country.
He added that bribers and criminals are using money to buy votes and pick their MPs to form the government of the day.
“When those who have no principles and quality are willing to sacrifice the people’s mandate for their own personal gain to form the government then the country will be sold to fulfill their greed,” he said.
Only 13 MPs stood up demanding bloc voting to pass the Bill to approve the Budget today, leading to a voice voting that saw it passed.
The Budget will now go to the committee stage, for its specific allocations to be debated and voted on.