Following is an article published by The Star Online complete with responses by TTF (in blue and red):
PUTRAJAYA: The government will defend Budget 2019, which is the maiden budget tabled under the Pakatan Harapan government, from any criticisms, said Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
TTF: It’s what you’re expected to do, and I respect that.
But do respond to criticisms with honour and integrity, not lies and spins.
Dr Mahathir, who is also Pakatan chairman, said basically it was a big budget although certain quarters had anticipated otherwise.
“Many were thinking Budget 2019 would be a small one because the government is facing financial constraints.
TTF: That’s because you and Lim Guan Eng spent months impressing upon people that the country was in dire straits, when in fact, it was not.
So if anyone’s to blame, it is you and that finance minister of yours.
“Instead we managed to expand the budget and we will defend it from any criticisms,” he told a press conference after chairing a PH Presidential Council meeting here on Satudary (Nov 3).
TTF: Actually, all you’ve managed to do is prove what some of us have been saying all along, which is, the country was never in dire straits.
Budget 2019 tabled by Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng in the Dewan Rakyat yesterday involves an expenditure of RM314.5 billion as compared to the pre-election RM290.4 billion in Budget 2018 (tabled by Barisan Nasional).
Of the amount, RM259.8 billion is for operating expenditure and RM54.7 billion for development.
Dr Mahathir said the feedback the government and the Pakatan Presidential Council received was that the budget was widely welcomed.
TTF: It’s barely been two days since the budget was tabled.
I suggest that you let the analysts chew on it first by facilitating a set of independent surveys.
Besides, you have to be very specific what you mean when you say that the “the budget was widely welcomed.”
If you’re referring to feedback from people, let the surveys – assuming they’re conducted – speak for themselves rather than jumping to unnecessary conclusions.
If, however, you’re referring to Members of Parliament, then, irrespective of what they feel, you’re likely to get a majority vote far surpassing Barisan Nasional’s since the 2009 budget was tabled (READ HERE TO FIND OUT WHY).
Of course, that will effectively turn Budget 2019 into the Budget of the Decade and a feather in your cap.
With the government facing financial constraints, Budget 2019 got a RM30 billion injection from Petronas to enable attention to be given to various segments of society, he said.
TTF: That is just as good as looting Petronas to make up for the government’s blunder in doing away with the GST.
And let us not forget that you appointed yourself as chairman of Khazanah, one of Petronas’ biggest shareholders.
Let us also not forget that you committed to bringing both Khazanah and Petronas under the purview of your own office.
What this means, is that you get to dictate terms to the oil giant both as chairman of Khazanah and Prime Minister of Malaysia.
So it’s really no surprise that Petronas ‘agreed’ to contribute more to your administration.
“Although the RM30 billion is huge we must remember the nation is facing a debt of more than RM1,000 billion (RM1 trillion), which is a problem that we will be saddled with in the long term.
TTF: Enough with the RM1 trillion bullshxt.
Everyone knows that the country’s debt was never RM1 trillion.
And even if it was, I’ve repeatedly explained why vibrant economies like ours are likely to have higher debts as it would take a whole lot more to manage such economies.
Besides, the key indicator to a country’s financial and economic health is not the national debt, but the debt-to-gdp ratio, or a measure of the country’s ability to repay its debt.
You and I both know that Moody’s rubbished your debt-to-gdp ratio claims by putting it at a healthy 50.8%.
What this means, is that Najib did leave you with a very vibrant economy after all!
“However, we discussed how to tackle part of the debt, thus enabling us to give attention to the people in the budget this time,” he said.
TTF: Present the rakyat with the methods you’re using to “tackle part of the debt.”
Meanwhile, Dr Mahathir said Pakatan will organise a special dinner to collect funds to run the party on Dec 9 at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre.
Asked if it could be used by some to curry favour with the government by buying tables, the Prime Minister said it would not happen because the government practised open tenders for each project farmed out.
“Donors (buyers of tables) will not get special treatment to avoid Pakatan from being influenced by companies or certain businessmen.
“Anyone can be a donor because booking of tables will have no bearing on government affairs.
TTF: But prior to the 14th general election, you accused Barisan Nasional leaders of receiving ‘bribes’ when they allowed people to “donate at functions.”
I was made to understand that you committed to “stopping such nonsense.”
Whatever happened to that commitment?
“Tenders and approval of projects are handled by government officers,” he added.
Source: The Star Online
