DS Najib's Hypothetical Budget

Sakmongkol wishes to thank his fellow Pahang Blogger, Small Talk for reproducing the Pahang Budget Speech 2009 in his blog. From there, all interested and public spirited people can study the budget. Small talk has done a sterling service for all of us. Otherwise it may be quite a daunting task to get information on the budget from extra diligent government officers.

In all governments, all the monies they received are placed under a consolidated account. Each year, the government will submit before its legislature( state or federal) a bill before the legislature, to procure a stated sum from the consolidated account. After the bill is passed, going through the stages, 2^nd or 3^rd reading, committee stage and report stage, then it becomes an act of the legislature after assent from the ruler. The object of securing that said amount, is to apply it to some stated purposes.

This has been the procedure all along and to sakmongkol’s mind, remains the procedural practice. Violation of this procedure will render any appropriation of funds from the consolidated account invalid and unconstitutional. After all the consolidated funds are not our father’s money.

To sakmongkol’s mind in addition, this procedural rule is strict and cannot be varied under any circumstances. It follows therefore that any amendments to the original bill put forward to be passed to become an enactment, must also go through the same procedure. For example, an amendment to seek additional funds on top of the sum originally stated in the bill, must be subjected to the same procedural rule. That is, another supplementary bill to incorporate an additional sum from the consolidated fund, must be made.

Hence, for example, when asking for money to be applied for operational and development purposes for 2009, the Pahang MB, asked the state legislature thus:-

Saya mohon mencadangkan bahawa satu Rang Undang-Undang yang dinamakan:
"Suatu Enakmen Bagi Mengeluarkan Sejumlah Wang Daripada Kumpulan Wang Disatukan Untuk Perkhidmatan Tahun 2009 Dan Bagi Memperuntukkan Wang Tersebut Untuk Maksud-Maksud Tertentu" dibaca bagi kali kedua.

And so, after his speech, the ADUNs in the Dewan will debate the budget. Some will just say a few things while the conscientious ADUNs will actually read all the material before them.

Now, if this procedural rule is strict, then where do we place DS Najib’s announcement in parliament recently, that the government will provide a RM7 billion stimulus package? Is this RM7 billion a variation to the original budget? An amendment? From where does he plan to appropriate the money? Sakmongkol is not interested yet to analyse where the RM7 billion shall be applied. He wants to know, who the hell are DS Najib’s advisors who must have mis-advise DS Najib that he can cavalierly and superciliously side-step the parliamentary rules and procedures to say, we have RM7 billion to play around with.

The principle that Gordon Hewart LJ, in Rex v. Sussex Justices ex parte McCarthy (1924), said " justice should not only be done, but should manifestly and undoubtedly be seen to be done” finds a parallel in the following political principle: a right must not only be done, but must also be seen to be done correctly.

And Sakmongkol finds the rescue attempt by the deputy finance minister Husni Hanadzlah even more disturbing and the height of chicanery.

Deputy Finance Minister Datuk Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah, explained that the RM7 billion economic stimulus package announced by Najib on Tuesday was, now hear this people!, A HYPOTHETICAL ONE, as it depended on savings made from the downturn in global fuel prices, and what the government will do with RM7 billion when the situation arises.

This is similar to the story told by Sakmongkol about the economist who when asked how to prise open a can of baked beans said, assume a can opener!. Please allow Sakmongkol permission to say this loudly..Shilaka!.

DS Najib must make amends and takes steps quickly to introduce a motion to amend the 2009 Budget. He can then incorporate the RM7 billion economic stimulus package he announced on Tuesday, so that MPs on both divides, could debate on both the Abdullah Budget presented on August 29 as well as the RM7 billion supplementary Najib Budget announced on Tuesday.

Haiyya- who the hell are his advisors? Sakmongkol hopes not the readers of ancient Hikayats from Fakulti Kesusasteraan dan Pengajaian Melayu of UM.