PETALING JAYA: Umno-Barisan Nasional has come out a winner with seven of its proposals included in the revisions made to the 2021 budget, as announced by Finance Minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz in the Dewan Rakyat today.
Two of the proposals were critical to the government getting Umno-BN’s support for the budget.
They were a one-off withdrawal of RM10,000 from their Employees Provident Fund (EPF) Account 1 and automatic approval for loan moratorium by applicants from the B40 category and micro enterprises.
BN Backbenchers Club chairman Najib Razak had previously said the coalition will only support the 2021 Budget if these two conditions were met.
However, Umno information chief Shahril Hamdan said there were five other proposals the party and BN had mooted.
These proposals were:
- A one-off payment of RM300 to all frontliners, including those from the police and army. Previously a one-off payment of RM500 was allocated only to frontliners from the health ministry.
- Increasing the one-off RM50 e-wallet credit for those aged between 18 and 20 to RM100 and extending it to university students aged above 20.
- RM80 million fund for paddy farmers.
- Cash aid of RM300 a month to help small scale farmers during the monsoon season.
- Tax deductions for property owners who waived rental fees or gave discounts.
“We would like to thank the finance minister for being open to suggestions and making the necessary changes after discussing it with MPs,” he said in a Facebook post.
Meanwhile, Umno Youth chief Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki said the enhancements to the budget was proof that the government listened to the people.