Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim says the alternative budget will address monopoly and the cost of living.
SHAH ALAM: Pakatan Rakyat will unveil a people-friendly Budget 2012 in October, said Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim.
The budget would be released at the same time Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak tables the federal budget in Parliament.
Speaking at the Selangor state operations room here, Anwar said the Pakatan budget would allow Malaysians to evaluate the opposition pact’s economic approach if it attained federal power in the next polls.
The budget, the PKR supremo said, would address issues such as national economic growth, creating competition in the economy and escalating cost of living.
“We believe that the cost of living in the country can be reduced if we can be rid off the monopoly system perpetuated by the Barisan Nasional government,” he added.
Anwar said under the current system, the politically-connected crony companies were devouring the lion’s share of the economic cake while the people were left impoverished.
“Our paddy farmers, who are mostly Malays, are still living in poverty but our sole rice distributor, Bernas is getting richer,” he added.
He said the budget would also touch on soaring fuel prices, which the opposition leader blamed the BN government for mishandling the situation.
Anwar claimed that Malaysia was still processing 70 percent of its high quality and expensive crude oil for domestic consumption.
“If we can export our oil and purchase low-grade crude oil from other countries, the excess fund can be used to reduce fuel prices in the country,” he said.
Ku Li as opposition leader
On another matter, Anwar said he had no information regarding the speculation that Umno stalwart Tengku Razaleigh Tengku Hamzah might be allowed to helm Pakatan to replace Anwar.
“I have not heard anything from PAS, DAP or PKR,” he added.
Last month, Tengku Razaleigh launched the Angkatan Amanah Merdeka (Amanah) movement in his bid to steer the nation back to the principles expounded by the nation’s first premier, Tunku Abdul Rahman.
Since then, speculation was rife that Amanah would be a platform to catapult the Gua Musang MP to the premiership should there be a hung parliament after the 13th general election.
Also present at today’s press conference were PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu, DAP vice chairman Tunku Aziz Tunku , Selangor Menteri Besar Abdul Khalid Ibrahim, Selangor exco Ronnie Liu and Kuala Selangor MP Dzulkefly Ahmad.
