The RM600 billion ‘grand theft’ allegation: true or false?
In the UK, about 15 million people are today in poverty, compared to Malaysia’s 136,000, as the report below reveals.
NO HOLDS BARRED
Raja Petra Kamarudin
Pro-Pakatan Harapan writer, Murray Hunter, has just published a so-called expose on the alleged RM600 ‘grand theft’ by the Muhyiddin Yassin government of Umno, PAS and Bersatu (the Health Ministry which was headed by Umno).
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A scandal many magnitudes greater than 1MDB
Murray Hunter
As the Covid-19 pandemic is becoming endemic, the actions and decisions made by key government members at the time, must be reviewed.
According to government statistics, the Covid-19 pandemic tragically cost the lives of more than 36,000 Malaysians. We are now seeing the collateral damage resulting from the Movement Control Orders (MCOs), which include growing poverty and business bankruptcies. The number of households in abject poverty, rose from 27,158 in 2019 to 136,000 in 2022.
MY RESPONSE IS AS FOLLOWS:
36,000 Malaysians died amongst a population of 33 million. In the UK, 220,000 died amongst a population of 63 million. Hence Malaysia’s death rate is amongst the lowest in the world compared to many other countries, which is because of the success of the lockdown.
As the COVID-19 pandemic enters its second year, requiring extensive lockdowns to contain the spread of the virus, its concrete impact on businesses is becoming clearer. The numbers are stark: 906,000 UK businesses are at serious risk of failure before April 2021. (READ MORE HERE)
And in the UK, about 15 million people are today in poverty compared to Malaysia’s 136,000, as the report below reveals:
In 2020/21, around one in five people in the UK (20%) were in poverty – 13.4 million people. Of these, 7.9 million were working-age adults, 3.9 million were children and 1.7 million were pensioners. Therefore, one in four children in the UK are living in poverty (27%). (READ MORE HERE).
Nearly RM 600 billion was used by the former Muhyiddin Yassin government, to procure items required for the management of Covid-19 and provide financial relief to assist citizens, between 2020-2022. Due to the existence of an emergency decree, much for the RM 600 billion was spent outside the purview of cabinet.
MY RESPONSE IS AS FOLLOWS:
The MACC said it was just RM92.5 billion and not RM600 billion, as Pakatan Harapan alleges. And under the emergency, neither Parliament nor the Cabinet are involved in running the country — like what happened after May 13.
And the UK spent TWENTY FOUR times what Malaysia spent in a population of LESS THAN DOUBLE of Malaysia’s
The Covid-19 pandemic has resulted in very high levels of public spending. Current estimates of the cost of Government measures announced so far range from about £310 to £410 billion. This is the equivalent of about £4,600 to £6,100 per person in the UK. (READ MORE HERE)
The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) opened up an investigation early December and found RM 300 million in the Bersatu central bank account. We still don’t know how much was in state branch and individual accounts.
MY RESPONSE IS AS FOLLOWS:
Bersatu’s audited bank accounts show a bank balance of only RM28 million in 2020 and RM64 million in 2021 when Muhyiddin was the Prime Minister. The RM300 million was what Anwar Ibrahim alleged. Anwar also alleged that Umno gave PAS RM90 million and promised to show the world a copy of the cheque, which he never did.
