Budget 2023,. Malaysia : Need a New Drug

is the signature anthem from Huey Lewis & The News, taken from the group's third album Sports, which was released in 1984.

THE proposed Budget 2023 is not good enough and care taker Prime Minister Ismail Sabri should wise up that urban Malaysia won't be buying into his pipe dream.

INSTEAD of focusing solely on UPSKILLING our workforce, especially among the B40 and B20 group, we are actually planning to spend some money to encourage youths to be delivery riders and bus riders. READ : FOCUS on Youth : Point 67 to 68.

67. To assist the B40 especially youths to earn an income through services such as taxi, bus and e-hailing, the Government has agreed to waive the fees of getting taxi, bus and e-hailing licenses under MyPSV programme. In addition, the Government has also agreed to waive the fees for B40 in getting the B2 motorcycle licence.

68. Further, to further encourage youth to work, the TEKUN Mobilepreneur Financing Scheme will be continued with RM10 million to finance youth interested to provide delivery services using motorcycles.

WHAT'S the point bringing in foreign labour if we still want to encourage, especially the B40 youth to be drivers and riders ?

Want a new drug, one that won't make me sick
One that won't make me crash my car
Or make me feel three-feet thick
Want a new drug, one that won't hurt my head

ONE can accept that for political reasons, the issue of GST was not raised in the proposed 2023 budget, but what is not acceptable is very little emphasis have been placed on how we are going to cushion our reliance on China, if indeed the Middle Kingdom is to have  a soft 2023. 

READ : Malaysian exports to China are over 12% of GDP compared to Indonesia, which is just over 2%, the Philippines under 2%, and Thailand under 4%, all single digits.

READ : China’s growth prospects weaken as economists cut 2023 forecasts