Budget 2016 vote 1st unity test for Pakatan Harapan, says Kit Siang
(The Malaysian Insider) – The move to vote down the second reading of Budget 2016 in Parliament tomorrow would be the first test of unity and solidarity for the new opposition coalition Pakatan Harapan consisting DAP, PKR and Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah), said DAP’s Lim Kit Siang.
The Gelang Patah MP said there are 72 Pakatan Harapan MPs but he expected only 71 votes, as he has been suspended for six months, for insulting speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia in the Dewan Rakyat proceeding last month.
“Although the Pakatan Harapan’s effort to reject the 2016 Budget may not succeed, it is still necessary and important to put on record the voice and feelings of the overwhelming majority of Malaysians who reject Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s 2016 Budget,” Lim said at the launch of Amanah Johor in Johor Baru last night.
Lim added after PAS declared that its MPs would not support any vote to reject Budget 2016, he did not expect the ruling coalition federal lawmakers, especially those from Umno, to break ranks and vote down the budget tabled by Najib.
“Things may be different if there is assurance that there is a group of some 40 Umno/BN MPs who could act ‘in one go’ to vote against Budget 2016 leading to Najib’s immediate resignation as prime minister, or if the voting in Parliament tomorrow is by secret ballot.
“Nobody really believes that the Parliament speaker, who is responsible for suspending me for six months, would agree to any secret ballot for the voting by MPs whether to approve or reject the 2016 Budget,” he said.
