Hamzah: If PM has no income, does his food appear out of thin air?
Hariz Mohd & N Faizal Ghazali
Published: Oct 21, 2024 8:52 PM
PARLIAMENT | Opposition leader Hamzah Zainudin has raised doubt on Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s announcement that he would not accept his salaries as the country’s top executive and finance minister, saying the man still has to eat.
In his debate speech at the Dewan Rakyat, Hamzah said the prime minister should come clean about whether he still receives income from other sources, like allowances from government-linked companies.
“There is a difference. It’s true he is not taking his salaries, but how about allowances? And where do these allowances come from? Because there are allowances that come from GLCs (government-linked companies) and such.
“If he really wants to do it, he should announce that he is receiving zero income instead. But if he gets zero income, what is he going to eat?
“Unless he can get food just by praying for it,” the Larut MP said when debating the Supply Bill 2025, which Anwar tabled last Friday.
PM Anwar Ibrahim
Hamzah then joked about how food would magically appear before Anwar when he prayed for it.
“If he can pray and foom there’s rice from Kota Raja (Agriculture and Food Security Minister Mohamad Sabu) in front of him, and it’s local rice,” he said, taking a jab at the reported scarcity of local rice on the market.
Hamzah delivered another jab, this time aimed at the sales and services tax increase for non-essentials that the government is proposing under Budget 2025.
“Don’t let it be that when he prays ‘Ya Allah, Ya Tuhanku’ foom there’s an apple in front of him... or an avocado just falls (before Anwar),” he said.
Avocados were one of the items Anwar specifically mentioned would be taxed next year.
READ MORE: PM salary lower than six state MBs or CMs
Questioning Anwar’s sincerity
The Perikatan Nasional secretary-general was responding to Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man (PN-Kubang Kerian), who questioned the sincerity behind the prime minister’s announcement that he will continue to forgo his salaries while his cabinet and political appointees will also continue to maintain their 20 percent pay cut, in light of the economic challenges facing the nation.
Hamzah then joked about how food would magically appear before Anwar when he prayed for it.
“If he can pray and foom there’s rice from Kota Raja (Agriculture and Food Security Minister Mohamad Sabu) in front of him, and it’s local rice,” he said, taking a jab at the reported scarcity of local rice on the market.
Hamzah delivered another jab, this time aimed at the sales and services tax increase for non-essentials that the government is proposing under Budget 2025.
“Don’t let it be that when he prays ‘Ya Allah, Ya Tuhanku’ foom there’s an apple in front of him... or an avocado just falls (before Anwar),” he said.
Avocados were one of the items Anwar specifically mentioned would be taxed next year.
READ MORE: PM salary lower than six state MBs or CMs
Questioning Anwar’s sincerity
The Perikatan Nasional secretary-general was responding to Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man (PN-Kubang Kerian), who questioned the sincerity behind the prime minister’s announcement that he will continue to forgo his salaries while his cabinet and political appointees will also continue to maintain their 20 percent pay cut, in light of the economic challenges facing the nation.
Kubang Kerian MP Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man
Tuan Ibrahim said even God allowed Prophet Muhammad to draw a salary when he was leading a country.
“Even the Prophet was allowed some provisions by Allah. But this (Anwar) looks to be even better than the Prophet, maybe he is an angel who does not need a salary.”
Previously, Anwar also declared that he would return the allowance he received as Khazanah Nasional chairperson and instructed the body not to deposit any money into his bank account.
This came after Khazanah reportedly transferred allowances into Anwar’s bank account.
Tuan Ibrahim said even God allowed Prophet Muhammad to draw a salary when he was leading a country.
“Even the Prophet was allowed some provisions by Allah. But this (Anwar) looks to be even better than the Prophet, maybe he is an angel who does not need a salary.”
Previously, Anwar also declared that he would return the allowance he received as Khazanah Nasional chairperson and instructed the body not to deposit any money into his bank account.
This came after Khazanah reportedly transferred allowances into Anwar’s bank account.
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kt comments:
Anwar can easily reply: My wife is a doctor, daughter an engineer and s-i-l a senior research associate with Khazanah Research Institute - they provide for me lah, wakakaka
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