Why did an MP call conditional Budget 2021 support awkward?

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Conditional Support for Budget 2021 Deemed Awkward by an MP

An MP has described the conditional support offered for Budget 2021 as "awkward" because the conditions, namely the approval of Employees Provident Fund (EPF) Account 1 withdrawals and the extension of the loan moratorium, are policy matters that the government could implement at any time. This perspective suggests that tying budget support to these specific policy announcements was an unusual approach.
Policy Matters Not Conditions for Budget Support

Ahmad Fadhli Shaari, the MP for Pasir Mas, stated that issues concerning EPF withdrawals and loan moratoriums are policy decisions within the government's purview and can be announced irrespective of budget deliberations. He drew an analogy to the legend of 'Puteri Gunung Ledang and the Sultan of Melaka,' where pre-conditions were set not to facilitate a proposal but to ensure its rejection, implying that the conditional support might have been intended to obstruct rather than genuinely influence policy.
Room for EPF Withdrawal Consideration

Regarding EPF withdrawals, it was noted that a significant portion of contributors have limited savings in Account 1, with 32% having RM1,000 or less and 10% having RM5,000. This data suggests that there is scope for the government to consider proposals for withdrawals without completely depleting members' retirement funds, allowing for a balanced approach to immediate financial relief and long-term savings security.
Targeted Approach for Loan Moratorium Suggested

The MP also advocated for a more targeted implementation of the loan moratorium. An automatic extension, he argued, could lead to inefficiencies and misallocation of resources if applied to individuals who do not require such assistance. The suggestion was that a focused approach would ensure that the moratorium benefits those genuinely in need, preventing potential "leakages and waste" of available financial aid.

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Why did an MP call conditional Budget 2021 support awkward?

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