By Jailani Hasan

LABUAN, Nov 7 -- Budget 2021 has been receiving a myriad of responses and reactions over its resolve in addressing the country’s economic maladies and stimulating growth, said Mara Corporation board member Datuk Suhaili Abdul Rahman.

 Hence, he said the nation’s budget is a crucial instrument of the government’s earnestness in pursuing the economic, social needs and objectives of society and the people.

“The government is increasingly concerned about the importance of diversity in public institutions, to ensure that the needs, aspirations and experiences of a diverse range of citizens are reflected in the decision-making process that is translated in the budget.

“The budget shows inclusivity... inclusive growth is crucial not only for a fairer society but also for a stronger economy.

“Income gaps between the rich and the poor have widened, and these inequalities undermine economic growth and strain the relationship between government and citizens… and this is being addressed by the government through the budget,” he told Bernama today.

Suhaili, who is also Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia supreme council member, said the budget caters to all segments of society, as it is devoted to caring for the people, steering the economy, promoting sustainable living and enhancing public service deliver.

“The government, through the budget, is searching for new ways to improve the people’s living standards, while sharing the benefits of growth more evenly across all groups of society.

“In responding to the challenge of inclusive growth, the public sector has an important role to play, with respect to the inclusiveness of the public sector itself, the inclusiveness of policy-making processes and the inclusiveness of the outcomes that the government seeks to promote,” Suhaili said.

Under Budget 2021, the government will continue to implement and improve the cash assistance in a more targeted manner by replacing Bantuan Sara Hidup (BSH) with Bantuan Prihatin Rakyat (BPR), with higher rates of assistance and income category.

Suhaili said the government’s efforts in balancing the responsibility to protect the lives and livelihoods with consolidating the economy could be seen through the economic recovery plan of the 6R approach of Resolve, Resilience, Restart, Recovery, Revitalise, and Reform.

Meanwhile, he said the government’s efforts to support the Bumiputera development agenda to reduce the disparity between races with a total provision of RM11.1 billion, an additional RM3.1 billion compared to the year before, is a great help to Bumiputera entrepreneurs to widen their scope of business.

-- BERNAMA