PARLIAMENT BN strategic communications director Abdul Rahman Dahlan has been accused of being arrogant for describing PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim as an 'issue of the past'.

"I have read your tweet, Kota Belud (Abdul Rahman)," said Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin (PKR-Bukit Katil) at the Dewan Rakyat during the Budget 2016 debate.

He pointed out that Anwar ( photo ) had tabled surplus budget every year when he was the finance minister (from 1981 to 1998).

Three of Anwar's successors failed to table a balanced budget in the past 18 years, Shamsul added.

He was referring to former prime ministers Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, as well as Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak. All of them took the finance minister's portfolio.

"Thus, I want to remind the MPs from the other side: don't be arrogant. Learn from the past lessons where Anwar had planned the budget cautiously, as a way to prepare for a possible bleak future.

"So, don't be blind to history as this will be a guidance in the future," Shamsul said.

'A loss to the nation'

In a series of tweets on Monday, Rahman zeroed in on PKR president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail’s Budget 2016 speech at the Dewan Rakyat.

“Wan Azizah delivers the first budget debate by peppering her speech with Anwar’s name. That's the past, ma'am. You are the now,” he had said.

Shamsul added that 1MDB's debt would not have climbed up to RM42 billion if Anwar had continued to helm the Finance Ministry until now.

According to him, Anwar was jailed to allow those who lacked ability to grab power.

"This is a loss to the country," he said.