Mental health allocation in Gerakan's Budget 2020 wish list
Ahead of the upcoming Budget 2020 tabling in parliament, Gerakan today revealed the party's wish list which included permanent allocations to address mental health issues among Malaysians.
Gerakan president Dominic Lau said the government should allocate a fixed amount under Budget 2020, citing figures from a 2017 study that 40 per cent of Malaysians will suffer from one mental health issue in their lifetime.
Ahead of the upcoming Budget 2020 tabling in parliament, Gerakan today revealed the party's wish list which included permanent allocations to address mental health issues among Malaysians.
Gerakan president Dominic Lau said the government should allocate a fixed amount under Budget 2020, citing figures from a 2017 study that 40 per cent of Malaysians will suffer from one mental health issue in their lifetime.
"These issues include depression and others...therefore we believe the government should allocate funds to address mental health issues," Lau told a press conference at Gerakan's headquarters today.
Other proposals include for the government to build more public hospitals, increase access to health services in rural areas and increase awareness on dangers of non-communicable lifestyle diseases such as diabetes and high blood pressure.
"I found out that in Pangkor island, for example, there is no public hospital.
"Residents have to take a speedboat to the nearest town if they need to be hospitalised," he said.
Gerakan's Budget 2020 proposal covered 16 areas ranging from health, cost of living, education, tax reforms transportation and others.
To address the cost of living issues, Gerakan urged the government to increase its Bantuan Sara Hidup cash aid for B40 households from RM1,000 to RM1,200.
Lau also echoed a reported proposal by prominent economist Professor Jomo Kwame Sundaram for the government to subsidise public transportation.
While Jomo had advocated for public transport subsidy instead of fuel subsidy, Gerakan in its proposal said B40 households with cars or motorcycles below 1,000 cc should be eligible for subsidised fuel.
In areas of tax reforms, Lau (photo) said Gerakan maintains its stand that the sales and service tax (SST) should be replaced with the goods and services tax (GST)
"But we are proposing that the GST rate is set at 3 per cent," he said.
The party also urged the government to set-up dedicated funds to address an identified shortage in affordable housing, as well as measures to counter climate change.
Asked if Gerakan had identified potential sources of revenue for the government to fund its budget proposal, Lau said Pakatan Harapan should stop blaming the previous BN administration and use its power to find solutions.
"You have the resource, you have the power, you have everything. You have to solve problems and cannot keep on blaming BN.
"If you cannot do it you step down. Let those people who are capable to do it, do it," said Lau.
"You're trying to tell us because the previous government is so bad that until today cannot solve problems.
"If you cannot solve problems means there is a need to change. Get the people who are more capable to solve the problem to lead the country," he said.
After over a year in power, critics continued to hit out at the government for perceived failures to fulfil promises made in its GE14 manifesto.
Last Friday, Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad reiterated that Harapan did not expect to win the last general election and therefore made promises in its manifesto which were difficult to deliver.
The government had in the past attributed its difficulties to a shortage of funds and focus on reducing debt inherited from the previous administration.
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