Uproar in Dewan Rakyat as Shahidan labels 2020 Budget ‘communist’
The former minister says the budget’s title uses the term ‘equitable’, which he claims is a communist ideology.
KUALA LUMPUR: An MP’s labelling of the 2020 Budget as “communist” caused an uproar in the Dewan Rakyat today.
It started when Shahidan Kassim (BN-Arau) claimed the word “equitable” in the budget’s title was communist ideology.
“It should say ‘fairness’,” he said when debating the budget proposals tabled by the finance minister on Oct 11.
The 2020 Budget’s is themed “Driving growth and equitable outcomes towards shared prosperity”.
The remarks by Shahidan, a former minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, were met with laughter from his opposition colleagues and objection from government MPs.
“This is the danger of ketum,” said Kasthuri Patto (PH-Batu Kawan), referring to a leaf that is sometimes consumed as a sedative or stimulant.
Shahidan went on to describe the budget as “racist” as it neglected the Indians in the country.
The allocations for the community for 2020, he said, were lower than this year’s budget.
“How can you reduce from RM50 million to RM20 million? I pity the (Indian) MPs, they are not given any positions.”
RSN Rayer (PH-Jelutong) got up to rebut Shahidan, saying he got his facts wrong.
“Which budget is this, YB? Do not force us to use the standing orders,” Rayer said.
Noraini Ahmad (BN-Parit Sulong) responded by saying Shahidan’s remarks were based on the country’s financial policies.
Kasthuri insisted that Shahidan was misleading the house, and more chaos ensued when Shahidan called Rayer “YB bodoh (stupid)”.
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Speaker Mohamad Ariff Yusof instructed Shahidan to retract the “bodoh” remark, which he did.