Barisan Alternatif is expected to present a shadow budget in Parliament on Sept 18, two days before Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad is scheduled to table the 2003 Budget in his capacity as the finance minister.

The shadow budget has been put together by a panel of experts comprising members of the BA PAS, Keadilan and PRM plus economists and non-governmental organisations.

The panel is expected to meet in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday to finalise the budget before presenting it to newly appointed Opposition Leader and PAS acting president Abdul Hadi Awang on Sept 15.

'Nothing to stop Abdul Hadi'

The BA is planning to reveal the budget details in a press conference in Parliament. Should circumstances prevent that, Abdul Hadi will raise it in his speech on Sept 20, after Mahathir makes his presentation.

When asked for an immediate reaction, Deputy Speaker Lim Si Cheng said there is nothing to stop the Opposition Leader, who is also Terengganu menteri besar and Marang MP, from unveiling the shadow budget to the House while rebutting the government budget.

"When [Abdul Hadi] is holding the floor, he can say anything about the government budget," he added.

Husam Musa (PAS-Kubang Kerian) said the budget is "pro-development but suggests ways to lower deficits and is definitely welfare-orientated".

Syed Azman Syed Ahmad (PAS-Kuala Terengganu) said the underlying factors of the opposition's budget are "good governance, transparent, people-friendly and democratic".

Abdul Rahman Yusof (Keadilan-Kemaman) said, "Whatever it is, it will definitely have the necessary statistics and data. We will propose measures to be taken to promote the economy and point out weaknesses of the government budget."

As if to lend more weight to his words, he showed a floppy diskette marked "XXX" which is said to contain the plan. He admitted to having suffered sleepless nights over it.

Meanwhile, former BA member DAP, which left the front last year over the Islamic state issue, appeared to be in the dark about the shadow budget.

When asked, secretary-general Kerk Kim Hock (DAP-Kota Melaka) said he had no idea about it.