KUALA LUMPUR, 21 Oct: Pakatan Rakyat (PR) proposed the establishment of a select committee to examine all matters concerning national defence.
Member of Parliament for Tumpat, Datuk Kamarudin Jaffar said that the committee will consist of all parties of the House of Representatives, whether from the government or the opposition, to examine the expenses incurred and to be incurred in respect of defence affairs.
He said the proposed formation of the committee is because the Ministry of Defence spent excessively and wastefully in the Auditor-General’s Report 2012 which was presented recently.
“A lot of issues have been happening lately, especially on the waste and fraud concerning the Ministry of Defence.
“All of this can be seen in the case of the ministry’s expenses involving the purchase of weapons, submarines and missing fighter jet engines,” he said in a press conference of the Alternative Budget 2014 presentation in Parliament today.
At the same time, Kamarudin said PR also suggested for the Farmers and Fishermen Insurance Scheme (SIPNP) to be created involving an allocation of RM30 million to provide comprehensive protection to people living in rural areas who have various problems apart from unexpected incidents.
He said that the scheme covers financing between the government and fishermen and farmers and is estimated to benefit over 700,000 people.
“PR also suggested for People with Disabilities (PWD) earning below RM1,200 per month to be assisted through special programmes to reduce their burden,” he said.