KUALA LUMPUR (Oct 26): Member of Parliament for Sembrong Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein has criticised the "lack of urgency and focus" displayed by ministers in addressing economic challenges faced by the country.

During the debate on Budget 2024 in Dewan Rakyat on Thursday, Hishammuddin expressed personal difficulty in identifying the main key takeaways from the budget and voiced concerns about the apparent disinterest of ministers attending Dewan Rakyat debates.

"We cannot rely solely on the prime minister (Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim) to address all these issues alone. Ministers also appear disinterested, as reflected in their attendance in Dewan Rakyat. It seems as though they are not keen to listen to the budget debate," Hishammuddin said.

Citing foreign direct investments as an example, Hishammuddin enquired about the ministry's actions following the signing of several Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) with different countries and the identification of specific sectors.

"Ministers cannot rely solely on news conferences or social media. Action must not only be taken but also be seen and felt," he stressed.

He urged the government not to underestimate the significance of the three economic challenges facing the country, namely slow GDP growth at 2.9% in the second quarter, the plummeting ringgit to a 25-year low, and Bursa Malaysia's inability to recover to pre-Covid levels.

"If these issues are not adequately addressed, they will continue to exert pressure on the nation's economic performance and the public," he stressed.

Hishammuddin also expressed concerns about the impact of the government's decision to increase the sales and service tax by 2%. He called on the government to explain how this increase will not burden the people, despite the exemption of food items and telecommunications services from the increase.

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