The uproar started when Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng said “1MDB is walking in” on seeing former prime minister and finance minister Najib Razak walking into the chamber.
Hearing this Annuar Musa (BN-Ketereh) asked Lim to retract his comment, but Lim asked Barisan Nasional MPs to give reasons why he should retract. “What is wrong with 1MDB?.”
However, the Speaker, Mohamad Ariff Md Yusof, asked Lim to withdraw his remark, as the 1MDB issue was now before the courts.
Lim then retracted his statement, while BN MPs could be heard saying “no manners.”
But Lim who was wrapping up the debate on the Supply Bill 2020 asserted that 1MDB remained a big issue as the country had to pay billions to settle 1MDB debts.
Najib, who rarely poses questions in the house since BN lost the 2018 general election, rose to ask Lim how much the national debt would be at the end of Pakatan Harapan’s term in government in 2023.
However, Lim spoke about 2017, stating that the debt ratio to gross domestic product (GDP) stood at 80% at the time.
He said it was also crucial to look at government debt guarantees instead of just looking at direct debts. He said the government had managed to reduce the debt ratio from 80% to 77% of GDP.
Najib who was not pleased with the reply, said he merely wanted to know the country’s total debts in 2023.”Bagan (Lim) is going round and round, I just asked on the possible total debts in 2023,” said Najib.
Lim then said “in 2023, we will try to reduce (debts) as much as we can. The target if possible is 65%.”
He also said that Malaysia’s credit rating remained steady. Even though we say our debt ratio is 80%, credit rating agencies know we are committed to institutional reforms,” he said.
Shahidan Kassim (BN-Arau) then accused Lim of stealing money from Petronas, which provoked a response from Pakatan Harapan MPs, causing Shahidan to shout “shut up you” at them.
He was asked by the speaker to retract his remarks, which he finally did.
Lim said there were direct debts involving the government’s LRT and MRT projects in the Klang Valley. “We (PH) don’t want to hide, like the previous government. We are transparent.”
He further said the government is doing all it can as the world economy is also slowing down.
The Supply Bill, which outlines the 2020 Budget, was passed by the Dewan Rakyat with a voice vote.