Anwar said there was a need to spend big to provide sufficient facilities to treat the poor, in both rural and urban areas, following the spread of more contagious Covid-19 variants of late.

He reiterated that, if there was a need to postpone mega projects and channel funds into healthcare, the government should do so.

He said it was not possible for the government to develop new airports or a railway line and have healthcare projects at the same time.

He went on to dismiss excuses by ministers who might justify such projects as being private initiatives.

“Please don’t give us that crap. Nothing is free,” he said when debating the 12th Malaysia Plan.

The Port Dickson MP was responding to Fahmi Fadzil (PH-Lembah Pantai) who had asked if the five year plan, which was tabled yesterday, could address the emergence of new variants.

Anwar went on to say that if the government relied on PFIs, “we would end up paying for the next seven to 10 years”.

“I have some experience as a former finance minister,” he said, referring to the time he headed the ministry from 1991 to 1998.

“There is no such thing as a free initiative.”

He said that while he welcomed the participation of the private sector, there was a need to understand the impact.

A PFI is a type of public-private partnership meant to encourage private participation in the local development projects and reduce government’s expenditure in providing public infrastructure and services.