KUCHING: Budget 2024 must address unemployment and the increase in prices of food items and goods.
Sri Aman MP Datuk Seri Doris Brodie said to have a ‘Madani’ budget, the voices of the people must be heard and their pulses must be felt.
“Malaysians at large are struggling with the rising cost of living, which affects the affordability of basic necessities, including food, housing, transportation, education and healthcare,” she said.
“Prime focus should be on ‘hand-to-mouth issues’ which are affecting mainly the middle class and especially the B40 group,” she told New Sarawak Tribune recently.
She added that the federal government needs to have new initiatives and strategies to empower them (B40 group) to reduce their burden due to the surge in the cost of living.
Doris highlighted that prices for almost all food items and general goods have increased tremendously in the last few years globally, amid food security protectionism measures taken by producing countries in light of geopolitical instability.
“Hence, our Federal Budget 2024 must take into consideration all these and must take drastic measures to address our internal food security. We must minimise dependence on imported food and instead develop our own food industry,” she said.
Doris also stressed that unemployment issues must be given due attention, saying the SMEs (small and medium enterprises) in the country must be enhanced and empowered in order to generate growth and also to create more jobs.
Doris said that budget allocations and new planning must be afforded towards the country’s tourism and agriculture industries.
“New initiatives and strategies must also be injected to boost and enhance these industries so that they can contribute to our country’s economy,” she said.
In addition, Doris stressed that under Budget 2024, rural infrastructure must be emphasised to spur economic growth.
