Greater tax relief, higher pension and a crackdown on corruption were among the issues raised in relation to next year's budget which will be unveiled by the prime minister on Friday.

Kuching-based businessman Richard Wee Liang Chiat said he hoped to see more tax relief for individuals and companies in order to increase spending power.

"There should be more disposable income to boost domestic spending," he told malaysiakini today.

Wee, who is also Kuching Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCCI) vice president, said this meant either streamlining the tax ceiling rates for individuals and companies or lowering both.

Freddie Acho Bian, a Kuching-based senior bank manager, touched on the concerns over the increasing inflation rate, with the August figure at 3.7 percent, and the current deposit rate of 3 pe cent.

He warned that with interest rates elsewhere on the rise, such as in the US, this could lead to a flight of capital unless the government took urgent steps to address the issue.

Even in the country's banking industry, the competition is so keen that banks were lending below their cost.

This, prophesied another bank manager, who declined to be named, could result in banks killing one another if there was no central intervention.

Battle corruption

As for Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) Sarawak division secretary Andrew Lo, corruption must be battled effectively.

"We have many laws, the intentions are all good, but the problem is with enforcement. The prime minister has to address the issue of corruption seriously," he said.

On fuel subsidies, he said big companies, and not the intended poor, were benefitting from this.

Also commenting on the budget, a company accountant, who requested anonymity, urged the government to be more financially prudent.

Given the present economic situation, he said, the government should cut back on 'visual impact' projects and divert the resources to other areas that will provide direct benefits to the people.

Kuching-based pensioner Ashari Manis said his hope is to see an across-the-board increase in pensions in relation to the general increase in the salaries of civil servants.

"Something should be done about the random increase in the prices of goods and services which is adversely affecting many people, including pensioners," he added.

Alleviate poverty

Meanwhile, the Consumer Association of Sabah and Labuan wanted the premier to focus more on alleviating poverty in the state as well as neighbouring Sarawak.

Its president Patrick Sindu said such measures should not be carried out only in selective areas thus leaving other communities out.

This, he warned, would only create a lot of unhappiness and dissatisfaction.

He said Sabah and Sarawak contribute two-third of the country's oil income to the federal coffers and as such deserve more consideration.