Barisan Nasional leaders dismissed the alternative budget drafted by the opposition as a mere strategy to gain political mileage.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Dr Rais Yatim likened the 'presentation' of the Barisan Alternatif's budget at the Parliament's meeting room yesterday to "cooking in someone else's oil".

"They (opposition) made the presentation based on whose money? It is money owned by the Barisan Nasional government. They cannot make suggestions on how to use the money," Rais, who is also de facto law minister, told reporters at the Parliament lobby today.

"The budget is the opposition's way of gaining political visibility," he said.

The second budget unveiled by BA the first was in 1999 precedes Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad's presentation by three days.

Universiti Malaya economic professor, Dr KS Jomo, unveiled the budget to an audience of about 80 members from the opposition and non-governmental organisations.

This year's budget, named the 3Ks kemakmuran, keadilan, kesejahteraan (prosperity, justice, well-being) came with statistics, charts and detailed information on the current economic situation.

It was formulated as the opposition's way of giving the government 'a run for its money' as Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who is also acting finance minister, is due to announce the government's budget in Parliament on Friday.