'It teaches people to be lazy,' Pas MP says about cash aid
KUALA LUMPUR: An opposition member of parliament has cautioned the government against making the people overly reliant on cash assistance.
An opposition MP has warned the government against people becoming too dependent on cash assistance. Datuk Dr Nik Muhammad Zawawi Salleh from the Pas party argued that the government should focus on empowering recipients to become self-sufficient through productive support. He suggested that instead of giving cash, the government should provide tools and equipment that could help people generate income in the long run.
"If we have an allocation to help the people, give them a fishing rod, not fish," he said during a debate on the Supply Bill 2027 in the Dewan Rakyat. Nik Zawawi emphasized that the government should educate and empower the people to create opportunities and improve their livelihoods. He noted that if people are given money, they might spend it quickly.
However, if they are given tools like pots, pans, machinery, and equipment, they can use these for years and potentially enhance their lives. While acknowledging that some groups, such as single mothers with many children, the sick, and persons with disabilities, need financial support, Nik Zawawi believed the government should review its spending priorities to ensure that assistance truly benefits recipients and society.
He stressed the need to strike a balance between providing immediate assistance and helping recipients become economically independent.
Written by urgent.news from New Straits Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
