UCAPAN PERBAHASAN BAJET 2017
YB TAN SRI DATO’ HJ MUHYIDDIN HJ MOHD YASSIN
AHLI PARLIMEN PAGOH
Tuan Yang di-Pertua,
1.Saya mengucapkan terima kasih di atas peluang yang diberikan kepada
saya untuk mengambi bahagian dalam perbahasan Bajet 2017. Saya mengambil
peluang ini untuk menyentuh beberapa perkara asas berkaitan dengan
bajet dan pengurusan ekonomi negara.
2.Pertamanya ialah mengenai
tadbirurus ekonomi (economic governance). Bercakap mengenai soal ini,
saya tidak dapat lari daripada menyentuh satu isu yang amat
menggelisahkan kita hari ini iaitu isu 1MDB.
3.Dahulu saya duduk
di sebelah sana dan hari ini saya berdiri di sebelah sini pun kerana
saya bercakap mengenai isu 1MDB. Saya meragui kewajaran Perdana Menteri
menubuhkan 1MDB dan menjadi Pengerusi Lembaga Penasihatnya. Saya
mempersoalkan mengapa 1MDB yang bermodal hanya RM1 juta tetapi
menanggung liabiliti sehingga RM42 bilion disebabkan kerugian dan
kehilangan wang yang tidak diketahui sebabnya. Akhirnya 1MDB menghadapi
masalah kecairan wang tunai yang teruk sehingga tidak dapat membayar
hutang piutangnya. Saya juga bertanya ke mana wang 1MDB lesap dan
bagaimana sejumlah RM2.6 billion dijumpai dalam akaun peribadi Malaysian
Official One?
4.Banyak perkara yang saya bangkitkan mengenai
skandal 1MDB ketika saya masih di dalam kerajaan. Saya tidak bersetuju
dengan Perdana Menteri hampir dalam semua perkara yang melibatkan 1MDB.
Semasa di dalam kerajaan saya menolak pelan rasionalisasi 1MDB untuk
menyelesaikan hutang-hutang yang bertimbun menerusi penjualan
aset-asetnya yang diperolehi dengan harga yang murah daripada kerajaan
kerana saya percaya ada elemen-elemen terselindung yang tidak dijelaskan
dengan nyata. Pelan tersebut tidak dibuat oleh pihak pakar yang bebas,
tetapi disediakan secara dalaman sahaja oleh Kementerian Kewangan.
Seolahnya Malaysian Official One ingin menyembunyikan fakta-fakta
penting mengenai penyelewengan 1MDB daripada diketahui oleh pihak lain.
5.Malah, selepas mesyuarat kabinet saya menghubungi mantan Peguam
Negara dan bertanyakan beliau adakah wajar kabinet memutuskan pelan
penstrukturan semula 1MDB. Bukankah itu tanggungjawab Lembaga Pengarah
1MDB? Peguam Negara bersetuju dengan pandangan saya dan kemudiannya
keputusan kabinet ditukar daripada meluluskan pelan rasionalisasi 1MDB
kepada mengambil maklum sahaja tentang cadangan tersebut. Jelas terbukti
sekarang bahawa teguran saya terhadap pelan rasionalisasi 1MDB yang
dibentangkan oleh Ahli Parlimen Tambun sebagai Menteri Kewangan II pada
ketika itu adalah berasas bilaman apa yang diluluskan oleh Jemaah
Menteri tidak dilaksanakan malahan apa yang berlaku hari ini berlainan
sekali dari apa yang sepatutnya dilaksanakan.
6.Begitu juga
apabila kabinet diminta meluluskan pembiayaan sebanyak RM3 bilion kepada
1MDB untuk membayar faedah pinjamannya. Saya berasa amat tidak selesa
dengan keputusan itu. Bilamana syarikat 1MDB ditubuh, kabinet langsung
tidak dirujuk. Kehilangan wang berbilion ringgit pun tidak tidak dilapor
kepada kabinet. Tetapi apabila syarikat ini menghadapi masalah untuk
membayar hutang, barulah Perdana Menteri merujuk kepada kabinet untuk
meminta sejumlah wang yang besar daripada kerajaan. Ini suatu tindakan
yang amat tidak bertanggungjawab dan bertentangan dengan prinsip
tadbirurus ekonomi yang baik. Tiada ketelusan dan akuntabiliti. Saya
amat tidak bersetuju dengan tindakan itu. Akhirnya, keputusan untuk
meluluskan pembiayaan sebanyak RM3 bilion kepada 1MDB ditukar kepada
kredit tersedia sebanyak RM950 juta.
7.Akhirnya, apabila masalah
1MDB menjadi semakin parah, kerajaan terpaksa menanggung semua
hutang-piutang 1MDB yang asalnya berjumlah RM42 bilion dan sehingga
tahun lalu meningkat kepada RM53 bilion. Jumlah ini akan meningkat dari
masa ke semasa apabila ditambah faedah yang mesti dibayar. Ini adalah
satu kerugian yang amat besar kepada rakyat kerana wang rakyat terpaksa
digunakan untuk membayar hutang 1MDB. Adakah wajar rakyat menanggung
beban hutang sedangkan wang 1MDB telah dicuri dan disalahgunakan
sewenang-wenangnya oleh Malaysian Official One dan konco-konconya untuk
berfoya-foya dan bermewah?
8.Saya berdoa semoga Malaysian
Official One diberikan hidayah oleh Allah s.w.t. untuk mengakui
kesilapannya, memohon maaf dan bertaubat nasuha di atas segala
kemungkaran yang dilakukan. Rakyat yang bermaruah pastinya tidak akan
bertolak ansur dengan kemungkaran. Malah adalah menjadi tanggungjawab
kita semua untuk melawan dan mengubah kemungkaran. Sepertimana sabda
Rasulullah s.a.w dalam sebuah hadith sahih:
Yang bermaksud:
Barangsiapa yang melihat kemungkaran, maka ubahlah ia dengan tangannya
(yakni kuasa), jika tidak mampu maka (ubahlah) dengan lisannya, jika
tidak mampu maka (ubahlah) dengan hatinya, dan itu adalah selemah-lemah
iman.
9.Keduanya ialah tentang institusi-institusi penting
negara seperti Jabatan Peguam Negara, Suruhanjaya Pencegahan Rasuah
Malaysia, Bank Negara Malaysia dan Polis DiRaja Malaysia yang gagal
berfungsi atau menjadi, dengan izin, dysfunctional. Institusi-institusi
ini telah disalahgunakan oleh Malaysian Official One untuk melindungi
kesalahan jenayah besar yang telah dilakukannya. Peguam Negara dipecat,
pegawai-pegawai SPRM ditukar dan dibersarakan, Gabenor Bank Negara
diugut dan Ketua Polis Negara telah gagal melaksanakan amanah.
10.Integriti institusi-institusi ini semakin dipersoalkan. Ketika pihak
berkuasa di luar negara mengambil tindakan undang-undang ke atas
pihak-pihak yang terlibat dalam kegiatan pengubahan wang haram yang ada
kaitan langsung dengan 1MDB, di Malaysia seolahnya tiada apa yang
berlaku. Di Amerika Syarikat, Peguam Negara memfailkan saman ke atas
individu-individu yang dikaitakan dengan 1MDB, termasuk anak tiri Najib
Razak. Peguam Negara Amerika Syarikat menemui bukti-bukti kukuh mengenai
perlakuan jenayah kleptokrasi yang terbesar dalam sejarah dunia yang
melibatkan kehilangan wang berjumlah sekurang-kurangnya US$3.5 bilion
atau RM28 bilion. Di Singapura, beberapa buah bank ditutup kerana
terlibat dalam kegiatan pengubahan wang haram yang ada kaitan dengan
1MDB. Di Switzerland, pihak berkuasa kewangan negara itu mendapati
beberapa buah bank melanggar undang-undang mengenai pengubahan wang
haram yang dikaitkan dengan transaksi 1MDB. Semuanya bertumpu kepada
skandal 1MDB yang mana Pengerusi Lembaga Penasihatnya adalah Perdana
Menteri.
11.Tetapi di Malaysia tiada apa yang berlaku. Kenapa
senyap sunyi? Seolah-olah siasatan terhadap salahlaku oleh mereka yang
terlibat secara langsung dalam skandal 1MDB tidak dikuatkuasakan!
Siasatan terhadap bekas CEO Shahrul Halmi tidak diambil. Pengerusi dan
Ahli Lembaga Pengarah yang berhenti tidak disiasat dan dilepaskan begitu
saja. Tiada seorang pun dipecat atau dihadapkan ke mahkamah atas
salahlaku yang dibuat oleh mereka. Yang nyata seolah-olah segala yang
berlaku ini disahkan oleh Perdana Menteri. Peguam Negara yang baharu pun
tidak menemui sebarang bukti untuk mendakwa sesiapapun yang terlibat
dalam skandal 1MDB. Walaupun ada bukti RM42 juta wang SRC International
masuk ke dalam akaun Perdana Menteri, tetapi Peguam Negara mendapati
Perdana Menteri tidak melakukan apa-apa perbuatan jenayah. Pelik dan
ajaib! Kalau seringgit pun duit syarikat milik kerajaan masuk ke dalam
akaun penjawat awam tanpa ada sebab munasabah merupakan satu perbuatan
rasuah, inikan pula RM42 juta masuk ke dalam akaun Perdana Menteri.
Bagaimana Peguam Negara boleh mengatakan ini bukan perbuatan rasuah?
Betapa rosaknya institusi Peguam Negara di bawah telunjuk Malaysian
Official One!
12.Seingat saya janji kerajaan bahawa isu dan
masalah 1MDB ini akan diselesaikan pada tahun 2016 sebagaimana yang
dibuat dalam cadangan rasionalisasi 1MDB hanya merupakan khayalan yang
tidak mampu dilaksanakan dengan berlalunya tahun 2016 tidak lama lagi.
Benarlah sebagaimana yang disebutkan oleh Ketua Audit Negara mengenai
1MDB bahawa tahap pematuhan (compliance) dengan tadbir urus korporatnya
adalah di tahap paling lemah.
13.Isu ketiga yang saya ingin
bangkitkan di Dewan yang mulia ini ialah tentang kedudukan kewangan
kerajaan yang semakin meruncing dan ketahanan ekonomi negara yang kian
lemah.
14.Jelas, bajet untuk tahun hadapan dibentangkan dalam
keadaan hasil kerajaan merosot hampir 10 peratus yang sebahagian
besarnya disebabkan oleh kejatuhan harga minyak dunia. Purata harga
minyak dunia telah jatuh daripada US$100 setong pada tahun 2014 kepada
kira-kira US$52 pada tahun 2015, dan kini dengan purata kira-kira US$42.
Akibat kemerosotan hasil kerajaan, defisit bajet negara kita telah
meningkat kepada hampir 4 peratus pada bulan Ogos 2016. Begitu juga
dengan hutang kerajaan yang semakin membebankan. Pada bulan Jun 2016,
hutang kerajaan dilaporkan berjumlah RM655.7 bilion atau 53.2 peratus
kepada KDNK. Jika diambil kira hutang 1MDB yang kini berjumlah lebih
RM50 bilion, yang sebahagian besarnya dijamin oleh kerajaan, hutang
kerajaan kepada KDNK adalah melebihi had 55 peratus yang ditetapkan.
15.Ini menunjukkan bahawa kedudukan kewangan kerajaan amat meruncing.
Dengan bayaran faedah bagi hutang kerajaan meningkat daripada RM20.3
bilion pada tahun 2013 kepada RM28.9 bilion pada tahun 2017, kutipan
cukai GST sebanyak RM30 bilion nampaknya akan habis digunakan untuk
menampung bayaran faedah sahaja.
16.Malah, jika dilihat akan
unjuran pendapatan tahun hadapan sekitar RM220 bilion, kerajaan
mencadang akan membelanjakan sebanyak 97% daripada pendapatan negara
untuk perbelanjaan mengurus. Ini amat merisaukan. Hanya lebih kurang RM5
billion sahaja yang ada untuk perbelanjaan pembangunan, maka dengan itu
kerajaan terpaksa berhutang lagi sebanyak RM40 bilion untuk
perbelanjaan pembangunan pada tahun hadapan.
17.Lebih merisaukan
kita ialah ketahanan ekonomi Malaysia yang semakin lemah. Hutang
isirumah telah meningkat secara mendadak daripada RM90 bilion pada tahun
1997 kepada RM847 bilion pada tahun 2015, iaitu pertumbuhan hutang
sebanyak 841 peratus. Hari ini, hutang isirumah Malaysia mencecah 89.9
peratus kepada KDNK, iaitu antara yang tertinggi di Asia.
18.Saya bimbang dalam keadaan hutang kerajaan dan isirumah meningkat,
rizab antarabangsa berkurangan, nilai ringgit jatuh, harga komoditi
rendah dan kadar inflasi tinggi, negara kita tidak mampu bertahan jika
berlaku serangan sepekulasi matawang, na’uzubillahi min zalik. Ketika
ringgit kita diserang pada tahun 1997 sekurang-kurangnya rizab
antarabangsa kita masih kukuh, harga komoditi masih tinggi dan kerajaan
mempunyai sumber kewangan yang mencukupi untuk melaksanakan
langkah-langkah rangsangan ekonomi dan mengeluarkan negara daripada
krisis.
19.Malangnya, bajet 2017 yang dibentangkan oleh
Malaysian Official One langsung tidak menunjukkan bahawa kerajaan serius
serta mempunyai pelan yang jelas untuk memulihkan ekonomi negara dan
mempersiapkan Malaysia bagi menghadapi sebarang kemungkinan buruk yang
akan berlaku akibat ketahanan ekonomi negara yang lemah.
Tuan Yang di-Pertua,
20.Di awal ucapan saya tadi, saya menyebut tentang isu 1MDB. Mungkin
ada yang mempersoalkan mengapa saya membangkitkan isu ini. Apa kaitannya
dengan bajet? Apa kaitannya dengan kepentingan rakyat?
21.Kaitannya dengan bajet adalah jelas. RM53 bilion hutang 1MDB kini
ditanggung oleh kerajaan. Tetapi malangnya, Malaysian Official One tidak
menjelaskan secara terperinci bagaimana hutang piutang ini hendak
dibayar oleh kerajaan.
22.Persoalannya, adakah kerajaan
mempunyai sumber kewangan yang mencukupi untuk melunaskan hutang piutang
ini? Tentunya segala tanggungan ini perlu dilunaskan dengan menggunakan
sumber dana kerajaan, iaitu sumber sama yang diagihkan kepada
kementerian-kementerian dan agensi-agensi kerajaan dalam bajet yang
dibentangkan. Apakah nantinya kementerian-kementerian akan menerima
peruntukan yang lebih kecil berbanding apa yang dijanjikan di dalam
bajet kerana kerajaan terpaksa menggunakan sumber yang sedia ada untuk
membayar hutang piutang yang ditanggung akibat penyelewengan dan
kepincangan dalam tadbir urus negara? Persoalan ini mesti dijelaskan
oleh Malaysian Official One.
23.Isu 1MDB juga mempunyai kaitan
langsung dengan rakyat. Saya berjumpa dengan orang ramai dan bertanya
kepada mereka 1MDB ini milik siapa? Mereka jawab milik Najib. Ada yang
jawab milik Rosmah. Saya kata salah! 1MDB milik rakyat! Kemudian saya
bertanya, siapa akan membayar hutang 1MDB? Mereka jawab rakyat akan
bayar!
24.Rakyat sebenarnya cerdik. Mereka tahu skandal 1MDB
membawa padah secara langsung ke atas nasib mereka. Yang cuba menafikan
hakikat ini hanyalah Menteri-Menteri, pegawai-pegawai JASA dan
cybertroopers UMNO yang sememangnya diupah untuk berbohong dan
menegakkan benang yang basah!
25.Selain itu, skandal 1MDB
mempunyai kesan negatif ke atas nilai ringgit yang menjunam. Ya, banyak
faktor yang mempengaruhi kenaikan atau kejatuhan nilai matawang, tetapi
skandal 1MDB adalah salah satu fakor utama yang mempengaruhi sentimen
pasaran terhadap ringgit. Walaupun dikatakan asas ekonomi kita kukuh,
tetapi kehilangan keyakinan terhadap Malaysia akibat skandal 1MDB
menyebabkan nilai ringgit jatuh ke paras yang lebih rendah. Pakar-pakar
ekonomi mengatakan berdasarkan perkiraan asas ekonomi, nilai ringgit
kita tidak sepatutnya melebihi RM3.50 berbanding US$1.00. Yang lebih
daripada itu adalah sentimen.
26.Sebab itu rakyat merungut
mengenai kenaikan harga barang. Saya pergi ke pasar bertanya seorang
makcik apa yang beliau beli? Katanya tak banyak tapi harganya lebih
mahal daripada dahulu. Kalau dahulu dengan wang RM50.00 sudah boleh
membeli barang satu bakul, sekarang dengan nilai yang sama hanya separuh
bakul sahaja yang mampu dibeli.
27.Ini sebenarnya adalah kesan
daripada kejatuhan nilai ringgit. Banyak barang makanan seperti
sayur-sayuran, buah-buahan, beras, daging, kelapa dan lain-lain yang
diimport. Apabila nilai ringgit jatuh, maka harga barang-barang ini akan
menjadi lebih mahal. Jadi mana boleh dikatakan masalah 1MDB tiada kesan
kepada rakyat. Kerana sentimen pasaran yang negatif terhadap negara
kitalah, yang sebahagian besarnya disebabkan oleh skandal 1MDB, nilai
ringgit kita jatuh, harga barangan yang diimport menjadi lebih mahal dan
rakyat menanggung beban kos sara hidup yang tinggi.
Tuan Yang di-Pertua,
28.Saya ingin mengucapkan tahniah juga kepada Perdana Menteri. Beliau
pandai menggunakan sumber yang ada untuk membina persepsi bahawa
semuanya berada dalam keadaan yang baik. Dengan izin, everything is
okay! Cash is King! Banyak gula-gula diberikan kepada rakyat dalam Bajet
2017. Tetapi gula-gula ini manisnya hanya sementara. Ia umpama candu
ekonomi untuk membuatkan orang khayal sebentar dibuai mimpi yang
indah-indah. Sedangkan penyakit sebenar ekonomi negara kita tidak
dirawat. Ubat yang pahit tidak diberikan untuk memulihkan ekonomi negara
yang sedang tenat.
29.Pembentangan bajet pada tahun ini pun
agak berlainan berbanding tahun-tahun sebelum ini. Ada grandstanding.
Ada props. Biasanya grandstanding dan props digunakan untuk mencantikkan
sesuatu yang sebenarnya tidak cantik. Ia sekadar suatu silap mata untuk
menutup kelemahan dalam pengurusan ekonomi negara. Kos sara hidup
meningkat, hutang negara bertimbun, perniagaan perlahan, syarikat
membuang pekerja, pengangguran meningkat, perbelanjaan pengguna menurun,
hasil kerajaan merosot, peruntukan untuk kementerian-kementerian
dipotong, wang dalam khazanah negara lesap dan sumber kerajaan digunakan
untuk membayar hutang.
30.Namum, dalam keadaan yang meruncing
sebegini pun, kita berasa amat kesal kerana kerajaan masih mengambil
sikap, dengan izin, “business as usual”. Perbelanjaan untuk kebajikan
rakyat seperti biasiswa, perkhidmatan kesihatan dan subsidi barangan
asas telah dipotong, namun gaji dan elaun Menteri kekal seperti biasa.
Malah projek-projek mega yang hanya menguntungkan beberapa kerat kroni
diteruskan tanpa diusik sedikit pun. Tiada pun disebut dengan jelas
bagaimana kerajaan bercadang menjana peluang pekerjaan untuk mengatasi
masalah kadar pengangguran semakin meningkat.
31.Baru-baru ini
ketika para mahasiswa kita yang berada di dalam mahupun di luar negara
keluh kesah kerana tidak menerima biasiswa seperti yang dijanjikan dan
para pesakit terpaksa membayar sendiri kos perubatan di
hospital-hospital kerajaan, Perdana Menteri dengan bangganya merasmikan
projek pengindahan Taman Tugu Negara yang menelan belanja sebanyak RM650
juta. Nampaknya, kerajaan pimpinan Malaysian Official One ini lebih
mementingkan pengindahan taman yang pastinya menguntungkan segelintir
pihak daripada nasib para pelajar dan pesakit di negara kita yang amat
memerlukan bantuan kerajaan.
32.Kerajaan juga nampaknya langsung
tidak prihatin dengan masalah kos sara hidup rakyat. Ketika rakyat
mengharapkan bantuan kerajaan untuk meringankan beban yang ditanggung,
kerajaan sebaliknya menghapuskan subsidi minyak masak yang pastinya akan
menyebabkan harga makanan meningkat dan menambah beban kos sara hidup
rakyat. Sedangkan isu sebenar iaitu masalah ketirisan dalam pengagihan
subsidi kerajaan tidak diatasi dengan baik. Misalnya, kerajaan
menanggung kerugian sebanyak RM540 juta setahun akibat kegiatan
penyeludupan minyak masak yang gagal dibendung oleh pihak berkuasa.
33.Ini tidak termasuk ketirisan-ketirisan lain. Berdasarkan kajian
yang dibuat ke atas Laporan Tahunan Ketua Audit Negara, kerajaan
mengalami kerugian antara RM23 bilion hingga RM40 billion setahun
disebabkan kelemahan dalam penguatkuasaan dan gejala rasuah dan
penyelewengan yang berleluasa.
34.Kita juga sedang berhadapan
dengan pertumbuhan ekonomi yang semakin perlahan yang sebahagian
besarnya disebabkan oleh persekitaran luaran yang lemah dan keyakinan
terhadap ekonomi domestik yang merosot teruk. Dalam keadaan ini, fokus
seharusnya diberikan kepada usaha untuk merangsang permintaan domestik.
Ini bermakna, peruntukan perlu diberikan kepada sektor-sektor yang
mewujudkan peluang pekerjaan, dan pada masa yang sama menghasilkan
aliran masuk pertukaran asing. Elaun pelaburan semula bagi sektor-sektor
ini perlu diperkenalkan dan projek-projek yang mempunyai kandungan
import yang tinggi boleh ditangguhkan.
35.Nasib pekerja boleh
dilindungi dengan memperkenalkan skim insurans pengangguran. Laporan
Bank Negara Malaysia menunjukkan hanya 1 daripada 10 rakyat Malaysia
boleh menyara hidup lebih daripada 6 bulan jika mereka kehilangan
pendapatan utama. Kos sara hidup juga boleh dikurangkan dengan
mengurangkan kos barangan makanan. Antara langkah sementara yang boleh
diambil ialah menghapuskan GST untuk barangan runcit tertentu seperti
susu tepung, kicap, sos cili dan barangan asas yang lain. Untuk
mengurangkan beban kos perubatan, terutamanya bagi penyakit kritikal,
kerajaan boleh mempertimbangkan pengeluaran wang simpanan Kumpulan Wang
Simpanan Pekerja (KWSP) untuk membeli insuran perubatan.
36.Inilah antara langkah-langkah yang sepatutnya diambil oleh kerajaan,
bukannya menyuruh graduan yang telah melabur puluhan ribu ringgit untuk
mendapatkan segulung ijazah menjual nasik lemak, ataupun rakyat
berkerja siang dan malam sebagai pemandu Uber. Ini bukanlah penyelesaian
yang rakyat harapkan daripada kerajaan. Tanpa disuruh oleh kerajaan pun
mereka mungkin akan melakukan kedua-dua perkara ini untuk memperolehi
rezeki yang halal dan menyara kehidupan.
Tuan Yang di-Pertua,
37.Bajet yang dibentangkan oleh kerajaan bukanlah satu bajet yang
realistik. Ia langsung tidak memenuhi kehendak rakyat dari segi
keperluan menangani kos sara hidup yang semakin meningkat. Ia juga tidak
mengandungi satu perancangan yang jelas untuk merangsang pertumbuhan
ekonomi negara, mewujudkan peluang-peluang pekerjaan baharu dan
menambahkan pendapatan rakyat. Peruntukan kepada kementerian-kementerian
yang bertanggungjawab menyampaikan perkhidmatan-perkhidmatan utama
kepada rakyat seperti pendidikan dan kesihatan dipotong. Isu tadbirurus
ekonomi (economic governance) tidak ditangani dengan baik sehingga
menjejaskan keyakinan pelabur dan rakyat terhadap ekonomi negara.
38.Sebaliknya, pada pandangan saya, bajet 2017 hanya sarat dengan
gula-gula politik sekadar untuk menutup segala kelemahan dan kepincangan
Malaysian Official One yang telah mencuri dan merompak khazanah negara.
Terima kasih.
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ENGLISH VERSION
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2017 BUDGET SPEECH DEBATE
YB Tan Sri Dato 'Hj Muhyiddin Hj Mohd Yassin
PAGOH Member of Parliament
Mr. Speaker,
1. Thank you for the opportunity given to me to take part in this
debate on 2017 Budget. I am taking this opportunity to touch on some
basic issues related to the budget and national economic management.
2. Firstly on economic governance. Touching on this matter, I cannot
avoid but harping on this issue that has been very disturbing to us
until today, that is the issue of 1MDB.
3. I used to sit over
there but today, I am standing on this side because I am going to talk
about nothing else, but 1MDB. I have always doubted the reasons for the
setting up of 1MDB by the Prime Minister who then became the Chairman of
the Board of Advisors. I have been questioning why 1MDB, with a
start-up capital of RM1 million, is now facing a liability of up to RM42
billion due to losses and loss of money without any unknown reason. At
the end of it, 1MDB is facing the problem of a very bad cash liquidity
that it just cannot pay back its massive loans. I have also asked where
has the 1MDB money gone to and how that staggering RM2.6 billion could
make its way into the personal account of Malaysian Official One?
4. There were just too many things that I raised about this 1MDB
scandal when I was in the government. I did not agree with the Prime
Minister in almost all the cases involving 1MDB. While in the cabinet, I
rejected the so-called 1MDB rationalization plan to resolve the massive
outstanding debts accumulated through the sale of assets which were
acquired cheaply from the government because I believed that there were
those hidden elements that could not be explained clearly. The plan was
not carried out by independent experts but it was provided internally by
the Ministry of Finance. So, it was as if Malaysian Official One
wanted to hide important facts about 1MDB irregularities from being
discovered by others.
5. In fact, after a cabinet meeting, I
contacted the former Attorney-General and asked him whether it was
appropriate for the cabinet to decide on the 1MDB restructuring plan.
Was it not the responsibility of the 1MDB’s Board of Directors? The
Attorney-General agreed with my view and then the cabinet’s decision was
changed from one that passed the 1MDB rationalization plan into one
that the proposal had been taken note of. It is now proven that my
advice on 1MDB rationalisation plan as tabled by Tambun Member of
Parliament as the Minister of Finance II at that time based on what was
approved by the entire cabinet members was not done, and what is
happening today is entirely different from what that should have been
done.
6. Similarly, when the cabinet was asked to approve the
financing of RM3 billion to 1MDB to repay the loan interests, I felt
very uncomfortable with that decision. When 1MDB was formed, the cabinet
was not at all informed. The loss of billions of ringgit was not
reported to the cabinet. But now when the company was struggling to pay
off the debts, only then the prime minister sought for a large sum of
money from the government. That is a very irresponsible act and very
much against the principles of good economic governance. No
transparency, no accountability. I totally disagreed with such an
action. Finally, the decision to approve the financing of RM3 billion to
1MDB was converted into standby credit of RM950 million.
7. In
the end, with the 1MDB problem worsening, the government had to bear all
the debts of 1MDB which originally amounted to RM42 billion, and up to
last year, it had increased to RM53 billion. This staggering sum will
increase from time to time, with interest that must be paid. This is a
great loss to the people because the people's monies have to be used to
pay 1MDB’s debts. Is it fair for the rakyat to bear the burden of the
debts when the 1MDB money was stolen and misused arbitrarily by
Malaysian Official One and his minions to entertain themselves and to
live in luxury?
8. I pray that Malaysian Official One is given
guidance by Allah to admit his mistakes, apologize and perform Taubat
Nasuha for all the evils and wrongdoings he has committed. Rakyat who
has dignity must not sit back and tolerate all those wrongdoings and
evils. In fact, it becomes the responsibility of all of us to fight all
those wrongdoings and make changes. As Prophet Muhammad S.A.W said in a
sahih hadith:
Which means:
Whoever sees
denials/disavowals, then change it with his hand (by way of using his
power), if he cannot afford it, then change it through verbal means, if
he is still incapable of doing it, then (change) by his heart, and that
is the weakest of faith.
(Barangsiapa yang melihat kemungkaran, maka
ubahlah ia dengan tangannya (yakni kuasa), jika tidak mampu maka
(ubahlah) dengan lisannya, jika tidak mampu maka (ubahlah) dengan
hatinya, dan itu adalah selemah-lemah iman.)
9. Secondly, on the
position of important national institutions such as the
Attorney-General’s Chambers, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, Bank
Negara Malaysia and the Royal Malaysian Police which has been
dysfunctional. These institutions have been abused by Malaysian
Official One to protect the biggest criminal offences that he has
committed. An Attorney-General was fired, the MACC officers were
transferred and forced to go on retirement, the Governor of the Federal
Bank was threatened and the Inspector-General of Police failed to carry
out the mandate entrusted to him.
10. The integrity of these
institutions has always been questioned. When foreign authorities are
taking legal action against those parties involved in money-laundering
activities that are directly related to 1MDB, in Malaysia, on the
contrary, it is like nothing has happened. In the United States, the
Attorney-General had filed a summons against individuals connected to
1MDB, including the stepson of Najib Razak. The Attorney-General of the
United States had found strong evidence of kleptocracy criminal act the
biggest in the world’s history, involving the loss of billions amounting
to at least US $ 3.5 billion, or RM28 billion. In Singapore, several
banks had been closed down for involvement in money laundering
activities associated with 1MDB. In Switzerland, the country's financial
authorities had identified several banks which had violated the laws on
money laundering associated with 1MDB transactions. All of them are
focusing on 1MDB scandal in which the Chairman of the Board of Advisors
is the Prime Minister.
11. But in Malaysia, nothing seems to have
taken place. Why the silence? The probes into wrongdoings by those who
are directly involved in 1MDB scandal do not seem to be carried out! No
action has been taken against former CEO Shahrul Halmi. There are no
investigations against the Chairman and Board Members who have quit, and
they are scot-free. No one is fired or brought to court for the
wrongdoings they have committed. Only one thing is clear - that all
these wrongdoings seem to have been approved by the Prime Minister. The
new Attorney-General has not found any evidence to prosecute anyone
involved in the 1MDB scandal. Although there is evidence of SRC
International’s RM42 million monies placed in the account of the Prime
Minister, but the Attorney-General finds that the Prime Minister has not
committed any act of crimes. Weird and very strange, indeed! If one
Ringgit Malaysia of government-owned companies is found in the account
of civil servants without any reasonable reasons, that is already
regarded as corruption, and surprisingly, RM42 million were put into the
account of the Prime Minister. How can the Attorney-General say that
this not corruption? How damaging the Attorney-General’s Chambers could
be under the tight grip of Malaysian Official One!
12. As I could
recall, the government promised that all issues and problems of 1MDB
will be resolved in 2016 as outlined in the 1MDB rationalization plan
but now it remains a myth as 2016 will soon end. True to what the
Auditor-General has said on 1MDB - that its level of compliance in
corporate governance is at its weakest level.
13. The third issue
I want to raise in this August House is on government's financial
position which is worsening and the country's economic resilience which
is getting increasingly weak.
14. Clearly, this next year’s
budget is set out amidst the government's declining revenue of nearly 10
percent which is largely due to the fall in the world oil prices. The
average world oil prices have fallen from US $ 100 per barrel in 2014 to
about US $ 52 in 2015, and currently, it stands at an average of about
US $ 42. As a result of the declining government revenues, our national
budget deficit has gone up to almost 4 per cent in August 2016. The same
thing goes to the burgeoning national debts. In June 2016, it was
reported that government debts stood at RM655.7 billion, or 53.2 per
cent of GDP. If taken into account the 1MDB's debts which currently
stand at more than RM50 billion which is largely guaranteed by the
government, the government debts to GDP has now exceeded the prescribed
limit of 55 per cent.
15. This clearly proves that the
government's financial position is weakening. With the interest payment
for government debts increasing from RM20.3 billion in 2013 to RM28.9
billion in 2017, it seems likely that the GST tax collection of RM30
billion will be used up to pay for the interests only!
16. In
fact, looking at the projected revenue of about RM220 billion next year,
the government is proposing to spend as much as 97% of the national
income for management expenditures. This is very worrying. Only about
RM5 billion is available to be spent for developments, then the
government has to owe about RM40 billion for development expenditures
next year.
17. What is making us more worried is the resilience
of the Malaysian economy which is fast deteriorating. The household debt
has risen sharply from RM90 billion in 1997 to RM847 billion in 2015, a
growth of 841 per cent in debts. Today, Malaysia's household debt has
reached 89.9 percent of GDP, said to be among the highest in Asia.
18. I am deeply concerned with the sharp increase in government and
household debts, the decreasing international reserves, plunging value
of the ringgit, low commodity prices and high inflation rate because our
country will not survive in the case of speculative attacks on the
currency, na'uzubillahi zalik min (I seek refuge from Allah). When our
ringgit was attacked in 1997, our international reserves at that time
were still strong, the commodity prices were still high and the
government had sufficient financial resources to implement economic
stimulus measures to take the country out of the crisis.
19.
Unfortunately, the 2017 budget presented by Malaysian Official One does
not indicate that the government is serious and has clear plans to
revive the economy, or prepare the country for any eventualities that
will happen due to weakening economic resilience.
Mr. Speaker,
20. At the beginning of my speech, I mentioned about 1MDB. Some may
question as to why I raised this issue. What has it got to do with the
budget? What has it got to do with the interest of the rakyat?
21. All these very much are interlinked with the budget. The 1MDB's RM53
billion debts are now being borne by the government. But unfortunately,
Malaysian Official One does not explain in detail how the debts are to
be paid by the government.
22. The question is whether the
government has sufficient financial resources to pay off the debts? Of
course, all these amortized liabilities should be paid using the
financial resources of the government, the same fund distributed to
government ministries and agencies as presented in the budget. Will the
ministries be receiving a smaller portion of allocation unlike what has
been promised in the budget as the government has to use the existing
resources to pay the debts incurred as the result of irregularities and
deficiencies in governance of the country? This issue must be clearly
explained by Malaysian Official One.
23. The 1MDB issue directly
involved the rakyat. I met people and asked them who owned 1MDB? There
were those who said it is owned by Najib. And there were those who said
it is owned by Rosmah. I told them they were wrong! 1MDB is ours, it is
owned by the rakyat! Then I asked, who will pay the 1MDB debts? They
said it is the rakyat who will have to pay up!
24. Actually, the
rakyat are smart. They know the 1MDB scandal has very much affected
their livelihood. Those who are still in denials are the ministers, JASA
officers and UMNO cyber troopers who are paid to concoct lies and keep
on telling lies.
25. Besides, the 1MDB scandal has a negative
impact on the value of ringgit which continues to decline. Yes, many
factors are influencing the appreciation or depreciation of the
currency, but the 1MDB scandal is one of the main factors affecting the
market sentiment for ringgit Malaysia. Although it is said that our
economic fundamentals are strong but the loss of confidence in Malaysia
as a result of 1MDB scandal has caused the ringgit to plunge to a lower
level. Economic experts are saying that based on calculation of the
economic fundamentals, the value of the ringgit should not have exceeded
over RM3.50 compared to US $ 1.00. More than that, it is due to
sentiments.
26. That is why people have been complaining about
the rising price of goods. I went to a market and asked an auntie what
were the goods that she had bought. She replied she just bought a few
things as the prices were far more expensive than before. If in those
years, with RM50 one could buy a basketful of goods, now, with the same
value, he can only bring home a half basketful of items.
27.
This is actually the effect from ringgit depreciation. Many foodstuffs
such as vegetables, fruits, rice, meat, oil and others are imported.
When the value of the ringgit fell, the prices of these goods will
become more expensive. So, how could you say that the 1MDB problem has
no effect on the rakyat? Because of the negative market sentiments
towards our country which are mainly caused by the 1MDB scandal, the
value of our ringgit fell and the prices of imported goods have become
more expensive and the people have to bear the burden of the high cost
of living.
Mr. Speaker,
28. I also wish to congratulate
the Prime Minister. He has been very clever in making use of all
available resources to build a perception that everything is just fine.
Everything is okay! Cash is King! Many sweets are offered to the rakyat
in the 2017 Budget. But the sweetness won’t last long. It is like an
economic opium to make the people disillusioned and have sweet,
beautiful dreams. The real disease is our economy which is not being
treated. A bitter medicine is not prescribed to revive the ailing
economy.
29. This year’s tabling of the budget is rather
different than past years. There is grandstanding. There are props.
Usually, grandstanding and props are utilized to beautify something that
is actually ugly. It's just a trick to camouflage weaknesses and
loopholes in the management of the national economy. The cost of living
has risen, national debts piling up, business is slow, companies laying
off workers, unemployment increasing, consumer spending is decreasing,
government revenue is declining, allocations for ministries being cut,
money in the national treasures has disappeared and government resources
are being used to pay off the debts.
30. Despite this critical
situation, we are very frustrated that the government still adopts
“business as usual” attitude. The expenses meant for the welfare of the
people such as scholarships, health services and basic goods subsidies
have been cut but the salaries and allowances of the Ministers remain
untouched. Even mega-projects that only benefit a handful of cronies
continue to take shape. There is no clear explanation on how the
government plans to generate employment opportunities to overcome the
growing rate of unemployment.
31. Recently, when our students in
and out the country were feeling restless as they did not receive the
scholarships as promised and patients had to fork out their own money to
pay for the medical cost at government hospitals, the Prime Minister,
unashamedly, officiated the Taman Tugu Negara beautification project at a
cost of RM650 million. Apparently, the government of Malaysian Official
One is more concerned about the beautification of the park which
certainly favours a few people from the fate of students and patients in
our country who are in dire need of government assistance.
32.
The Government does not seem to be concerned with the problem of the
high cost of living burdening the rakyat. When people are expecting the
government to step in to help ease their burdens, the government, on the
other hand, abolishes the subsidy for cooking oil which certainly will
cause the prices of food items to soar, thus increasing the burden of
the people due to higher cost of living. The real issues, namely the
problem of leakages in the distribution of government subsidies, on the
other hand, have not been addressed properly. For instance, the
government incurred losses of RM540 million a year due to smuggling of
cooking oil that is still not contained by the authorities.
33.
This does not include other leakages. Based on a study done on the
Annual Report of the Auditor-General, the government suffered losses of
between RM23 billion and RM40 billion a year due to weaknesses in
enforcement, widespread corruption and malpractices.
34. We are
also facing with a slow economic growth, largely due to weak external
environment and confidence in the domestic economy which is weakening.
In this situation, focus should be given to efforts to stimulate
domestic demand. This means that allocations should be given to sectors
that can create jobs and at the same time, able to generate foreign
exchange inflows. Reinvestment allowances for these sectors should be
introduced while projects with high import content be delayed.
35. The fate of the workers can be protected by introducing an
unemployment insurance scheme. A Bank Negara Report showed only 1 out of
10 Malaysians could make a living for more than six months if they lost
their main income. The cost of living can also be reduced by reducing
the cost of food items. Some temporary measures that can be taken are
abolishing the GST on certain grocery items such as milk powder, soy
sauce, chili sauce and other essential items. In reducing high medical
cost, especially for critical illnesses, the government can consider
allowing the withdrawal of the Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) for the
purchase of medical insurance.
36. These are the steps that
should be taken by the government, not telling those graduates who have
invested tens of thousands of ringgit to get a degree, to sell nasi
lemak, or people working day and night to be Uber drivers. This is not a
solution that people expect from the government. Without being asked by
the government, they probably will do both things in order to obtain
permissible sustenance for their livelihood.
Mr. Speaker,
37. The budget presented by the government is not realistic. It does not
meet the requirements of the rakyat in terms of the needs to deal with
the high cost of living. It also does not have clear plans on how to
stimulate economic growth, create opportunities for new jobs and
increase the income of the people. The allocations for the ministries
responsible in delivering key services to the people such as education
and health, are cut. The issue of economic governance is not well
addressed, thus affecting the confidence of investors and people
towards the country's economy.
38. My view on this 2017 budget is
that it is just full of “political candies” to cover up all weaknesses
and shortcomings of Malaysian Official One who has stolen and robbed our
national treasure.
Thank You.