Was Muhyiddin afraid to table Penjana plan in Parliament for fear of rejection? Kit Siang asks

KUALA LUMPUR, June 6 — DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang has asked today Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s motives for not presenting the economic recovery plan called Penjana to Parliament for approval.

The Iskandar Puteri MP claimed Muhyiddin may have been afraid that Penjana would be rejected in Parliament.

“The question uppermost in most minds is why the Prime Minister, Tan Sri Muhyddin Yassin, had not presented the Penjana economic stimulus package in the war against Covid-19 to Parliament for approval?

“Is he afraid that the Penjana economic stimulus package would be rejected by Parliament if it is presented to Parliament for approval?” asked Lim in a statement.

The Penjana package is an RM35 billion package aimed to benefit the unemployed and youth.

However, Lim pointed out the Malaysian Trade Union Congress (MTUC) statement today in which it said the package is laden with promises but may not be as successful in its implementation.

Lim said such plans need to be debated in Parliament but Muhyiddin’s refusal beyond the half-day on May 18 was undemocratic and against MPs’ rights.

Earlier today, MTUC secretary-general J. Solomon said that the MTUC feared that similar to the previous Prihatin stimulus packages, Penjana will fail to live up to its lofty promises on ensuring workers are protected.

He said millions may have been laid off and there is no enforcement on these stimulus packages and employers are taking advantage of it by retrenching staff while claiming the government subsidies.

“The best venue for the legitimate concerns from the various sectors of society about the government’s economic stimulus packages to be aired and addressed is Parliament, and the continued lockdown of Parliament is not only a continued denial of Members of Parliament from playing their constitutional role of parliamentary oversight and scrutiny of the executive to ensure a high quality of governance, but a closure of avenues for the citizenry to have their grievances heard and resolved,” added Lim.

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