PM mulls inviting opposition for Economic Action Council, Covid-19 meetings
Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin is mulling the possibility of expanding bipartisan cooperation with the opposition beyond Budget 2021.
He said this may include inviting the opposition to sit in on certain government meetings.
Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin is mulling the possibility of expanding bipartisan cooperation with the opposition beyond Budget 2021.
He said this may include inviting the opposition to sit in on certain government meetings.
"For the next level, I'm thinking about inviting the opposition to be on the Economic Action Council which I chair every week or the meeting to manage Covid-19, which I chair every day," he said in an interview with Astro Awani tonight.
Muhyiddin said he wanted to know their views and if they had any suggestions to remedy any measure which they felt was ineffective.
"This is not about giving credit to them, but for the people to benefit from their views," he said.
Asked whether this would extend to political cooperation, the Bersatu president said he did not want to make any predictions and that things would happen one step at a time.
Budget 2021 was previously in danger of being voted down amid manoeuvrings by opposition and Umno MPs in lieu of a vote of no confidence against Muhyiddin.
However, after a failed attempt to secure an emergency declaration - ostensibly to help combat Covid-19 - the Yang di-Pertuan Agong urged lawmakers to unite and support Budget 2021.
Last Sunday, the Finance Ministry held meetings with Pakatan Harapan to discuss the budget.
Some of the opposition's requests included an automatic six-month moratorium extension for all loan repayments and a six-month extension for wage subsidies.
Yesterday's Budget 2021 included a targeted three-month moratorium extension for the B40 group while the wage subsidy was also extended for three months for targeted sectors including tourism.
Former finance minister Lim Guan Eng, however, lamented that the budget tabled was a missed opportunity for a unity supply bill.
Meanwhile, Muhyiddin also brushed off criticism from opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim that Budget 2021 lacked measures to stimulate the economy.
"That's okay, we are open (to feedback)," the prime minister said.
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