'Budget 2023 is like a short blanket' - Hamzah

KUALA LUMPUR - Opposition leader Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin has likened the 2023 Budget to a 'short blanket'

The Larut MP said that the allocation presented by the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim did not seem comprehensive or capable of solving the people's issue of cost of living.

"When I listened to Tambun's (Anwar) speech, I was quite sympathetic because in the state of the country's economy which is quite alarming today, as well as the world economy, I feel like maybe this is what caused his speech that day to be something that I see as a short blanket budget.

"It means that if we covered our face, our calves would be exposed, if we covered our legs, our face would be exposed. It means that there are many things in the budget that are lacking in terms of the approach in determining our future because this budget should be able to boost economic growth in the country," he said at the 2023 Budget debate at the Dewan Rakyat on Monday.

Last week, Anwar who is also the Finance Minister announced that the government had allocated a total of RM388.1 billion for Budget 2023 with RM289.1 billion being operational expenditure, RM99 billion for development and RM2 billion in contingency savings.

Hamzah said the budget should focus on providing job opportunities to the people, especially the youth besides easing the burden of the current high cost of living.

"The budget should be something that is equally distributed to all.

"Isn't the main goal of some of those plans to provide added value and multiple gains to improve the socio-economic level and competitiveness of the country?" he questioned.