The grave warnings by the government’s Performance, Management and Delivery Unit (Pemandu) that the country will become bankrupt by 2019 if subsidies are not slashed apparently have not gone down well with members of parliament debating the 10th Malaysia Plan in the August House.

Taking the lead, the Pasir Mas Independent MP Ibrahim Ali demanded for Pemandu's deputy chief Idris Jala's ( below ) resignation from the cabinet idris jala pemandu subsidies frontimage for raising alarm bells that Malaysia risks becoming like Greece if the government continues to subsidise petrol, food and electricity among other staple items.

"When he was made a minister I thought he was a very special person as he was not a politician but a professional," said Ibrahim in the Dewan Rakyat.

But the Malay rights group Perkasa chief claimed that Idris had made the statement ‘to gain political mileage’ adding that the latter’s achievement in the private sector should not used to gauge his performance in government.

"A minister like this should just resign [...] or perhaps the prime minister should consider removing this person [...] we don't need this person," said Ibrahim.

"A real politician may say things to get political mileage. How could a professional make a statement that has confused the nation?"

Idris, who is Minister in the Prime Minister's Department, set off controversy when he said that Malaysia's debt would soar to 100 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP) by 2019 from 54 percent of GDP at present without the cuts .

'Forbidden to gamble'

Seri Gading MP Mohamad Aziz felt that Idris' statement ‘hurt the feelings’ of the people and could affect the sentiments of the voters.

"Are subsidies now considered the people’s sin?" asked the BN parliamentarian adding that ‘uncles and aunts in the villages’ were aggrieved by the remark.

azlan "I was hurt by the remarks too. I am worried that such an action would lead BN to bankruptcy," he added.

Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, on the other hand, played down the Idris’s dire warnings saying that more research was needed before the government came to a conclusion on subsidy cuts.

On the heated topic of a sports betting license purportedly issued to Berjaya Corporation, Ibrahim demanded to know measures being taken to ensure that Muslims do not patronise the outlets.

"I would like to know what are conditions that will be listed. What is being done to educate the Muslims that it is forbidden to gamble.

"It doesn't matter what is in front of us. As faithful and responsible Muslims, we will not do such despicable things," said Ibrahim.