KUALA LUMPUR: Budget 2021 allocations for the Communications and Multimedia Ministry have been passed at the committee stage, after a bloc vote called by the Opposition failed to garner enough support in Parliament.
This is the eight failed bloc vote called by the Opposition during debates at the committee stage in Parliament.
The bloc vote saw 107 votes in favour, 100 against and 13 absent.
Meanwhile, Ayer Hitam MP Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong said this was the eighth time that the Opposition tried to scuttle the ministerial allocation by calling for a bloc vote, but failed. There are 27 ministries and as of now, the allocation for 22 ministries have since been passed under Budget 2021 at the committee stage of debates, he said in a Facebook post on Thursday (Dec 10).
KUALA LUMPUR: The RM85.5mil allocation for Jabatan Komunikasi Komuniti (JKom) under the Communications and Multimedia Ministry has been reduced to RM40.5mil.
This means RM45mil less for JKom, which was formerly known as the Special Affairs Department (Jasa), announced Deputy Finance Minister Abdul Rahim Bakri, who tabled a motion to reduce the allocation to RM40.5mil, which will be for the 500 contract staff under JKom.
Prior to the allocation for JKom, there were debates between MPs from both sides of the political divide, with government coalition MPs arguing in support of the controversial government department.
According to Nik Muhammad Zawawi Salleh (PN-Pasir Putih), it was necessary to have JKom because the department will ensure that Malaysians understand the government s agenda.