Muhyiddin willing to cut his salary, other cabinet members will do so too
Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin is willing to take a salary cut to help the government reduce its spending.
Responding to a question during a press conference at Perdana Putra this afternoon, Muhyiddin said he would take up the challenge and be the first cabinet member to do so....
- UPDATED 5.15PM: Added Muhyiddin's announcement of a new Economic Action Council (EAC) to tackle urgent economic matters.
Responding to a question during a press conference at Perdana Putra this afternoon, Muhyiddin said he would take up the challenge and be the first cabinet member to do so.
Other ministers will also do the same, he added, but mentioned that the matter was not among the things discussed in the new cabinet's first meeting this morning.
"I will take that challenge first. Five percent, or 10 percent (cut).
"We did not discuss that today (in the meeting), so do not pre-empt. I can do it first," he said.
Muhyiddin was answering a reporter's question on the size of the new cabinet, which seems to be much larger than previous administrations, and if there is any plan to cut the ministers' salaries.
He said that the cabinet members would definitely take a salary cut in hopes to save "a few million".
Meanwhile, when asked on whether mega projects announced by the previous Pakatan Harapan government would continue, Muhyiddin said this would depend on the recommendation of the respective ministers in charge.
However, he said that they are not looking into stopping the projects, but whether there is a need to scale down their sizes.
"The ministers concerned will let us know. Generally, they will continue. Not that we want to review (the projects) to stop (them), but whether (there is a need to) scale down.
"(However), I am not in the position to say now."
Urgent economic needs to be cabinet's main priority
During the media conference, Muhyiddin announced that the cabinet had decided to set up a new Economic Action Council (EAC) quickly to address the country's economic woes.
The council to be presided by the premier will convene every Monday starting next week, where they will discuss how to address economic issues surrounding the country and its people, especially the B40 group.
Muhyiddin said they also realised that the crash of crude oil prices would have a substantial impact on the country's financial resources, and would consider all options including returning the implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) and Sales and Service Tax (SST).
The government is also looking at whether there is a need to recalibrate its budget for 2020.
"The Finance Ministry has been ordered to discuss this and in the (EAC) meeting next week, it will present the situation of the country's finances. Surely it has been affected.
"But whether we want to recalibrate (the budget), we will have to wait for the Finance Ministry report," he said.
"We will look into everything," Muhyiddin added, when pressed whether GST and SST will be on the table.
According to the premier, the government, however, will try to find something that "can strike a good balance" and does not burden the rakyat.
He said that besides forming the new EAC, the cabinet has also agreed to review the economic stimulus package, which was announced by Mahathir on Jan 27.
In the announcement, Mahathir had unveiled a slew of measures including cash aid and incentives to help the country cushion economic uncertainties due to the threat of Covid-19 that has infected more than 82,000 people worldwide and claimed more than 2,800 lives.
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