
The newly unveiled 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP) lacks any “wow factor” and feels largely like a continuation of previous policies, says an opposition lawmaker.
Bersatu’s Machang MP Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal described the five-year development plan tabled in the Dewan Rakyat today as “business as usual”, with no clear game-changing initiatives.
“There are a lot of initiatives focusing on the Malay heartland, especially in my state, Kelantan. But if you ask me if there is any game-changing initiative, I haven’t heard anything yet.
“So I don’t see any ‘wow factor’ from the announcement,” he told FMT.
However, Wan Fayhsal acknowledged that the government appeared to be doing its best to offer solutions amid current global challenges, welcoming plans for flood mitigation.
“Year in, year out, whenever the flood season begins, the cost of destruction is bigger than what the government currently wants to spend on preventing floods,” he said.
Separately, Bachok MP Syahir Sulaiman said the 13MP had not set any fiscal distribution formula or quantitative targets for states like Sabah, Sarawak, Kelantan, Terengganu, Kedah and Perlis.
“This was unlike 12MP, which clearly committed to allocating 50% of development expenditure to the six less-developed states,” he said in his preliminary commentary on the 13MP.
Syahir, who heads Perikatan Nasional’s economic bureau, said the plan failed to address federal-state fiscal reforms, revenue sharing and resource control.
“These are critical issues, as the lack of state involvement in planning and implementation has been a major driver of regional inequality,” he said.
“Just and equitable development cannot be achieved if the voices from the states continue to be sidelined.”