Muhyiddin secures key victory after parliament approves 2021 budget
[KUALA LUMPUR] Malaysia's Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin secured a key victory on Thursday as parliament approved his administration's 2021 budget, ensuring his political survival amid a health and economic crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
Parliament passed the budget by a voice vote, leaving it unclear exactly how many of the 222 lawmakers supported the government's first budget since Mr Muhyiddin emerged as the leader of a new coalition in March.
The government tabled the country's largest-ever budget three weeks ago, in a bid to bring the economy out of its first recession in over a decade and to manage the health fallout from Covid-19, as a spike in infections since September caused cumulative cases to rise over four-fold to nearly 60,000 as of Wednesday.
If parliament had rejected the budget it could have triggered a political crisis. It was the first real test for Mr Muhyiddin's wafer thin majority. His coalition has been beset by infighting, and opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim has been impatient for a chance to test whether Mr Muhyiddin still commanded support.
Mr Muhyiddin had earlier called for cross-party support for his government's budget, after the king decreed that all lawmakers should give their full backing for the government's spending plans.
On Tuesday, 20 members of the executive from his ruling coalition's largest bloc, which is led by the United Malays National Organisation (Umno) former ruling party, pledged support for Mr Muhyiddin and his budget.
GET BT IN YOUR INBOX DAILY
Start and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight to your inbox.
But the premier faces dissent in Umno, whose backing remains tenuous after former leader and Prime Minister Najib Razak attempted to broker conditional support for Mr Anwar from among the party's lawmakers.
"Nothing is certain at this stage. The fact that members of the administration had to declare their support suggests that not all of the backbenchers are for the budget," said Adib Zalkapli, Malaysia director with political risk consultancy BowerGroupAsia.
REUTERS
KEYWORDS IN THIS ARTICLE
BT is now on Telegram!
For daily updates on weekdays and specially selected content for the weekend. Subscribe to t.me/BizTimes
International
Bank of Japan’s Ueda says ‘very likely’ to hike rates if inflation keeps rising
Colombian fund managers eye US$750 million fee bonanza after senators tweak pension bill
Fed survey cites inflation, US election as key financial stability risks
Oil prices steady after Iran plays down reported Israeli attack
G7 pledges swift aid for Ukraine, seeks to calm Middle East
H5N1 strain of bird flu found in milk: WHO