Wee Questions Funds For Vanity Projects Says Better Spent On Healthcare

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PARLIAMENT | MCA president Wee Ka Siong (BN-Ayer Hitam) questioned why RM600 million was allocated to repair Carcosa Seri Negara when it could benefit the people more by going towards healthcare services.
In the same vein, he questioned why RM4 billion had been allocated for the development of Kota Madani.
“Budget 2026 shows a slightly misguided pattern of priorities, where vanity projects are prioritised at a time when hospitals are still short of doctors and universities are struggling with a lack of funds,” he said during his debate on the budget in the Dewan Rakyat today.
Carcosa Seri Negara consists of two heritage buildings that had once served as an expansive colonial mansion during British rule.
Located at the Lake Gardens in Kuala Lumpur, the buildings have been repurposed and now serve as a luxury boutique hotel.
Carcosa Seri NegaraUnder the 2026 Supply Bill tabled by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on Friday, the government said Khazanah Nasional Berhad would fork out RM600 million to fund uplifting works of Carcosa Seri Negara and six building blocks at the Sultan Abdul Samad Complex.
‘GLCs, GLICs should not be ATMs’
In his speech, Wee expressed worries over the government’s involvement of government-linked companies (GLCs) and government-linked investment companies (GLICs) in Budget 2026.
“This raises questions about the deviation from the original core and corporate mandate of GLCs and GLICs.
“This move doesn’t mean that the government is saving (money); on the contrary, it could affect long-term returns as such investments have the potential to reduce dividends that should be redistributed to the people,” he asserted.
By using GLCs and GLICs this way, the government has “mortgaged” future income to cover its weaknesses today, he added.
He also stressed that these companies should not be used as government “ATMs”.
“They (GLCs and GLICs) were created to generate strategic investments and long-term returns for the people,” he said.
Wee’s concerns echo those of former economy minister Rafizi Ramli, who earlier cautioned that the move could negatively impact the strategic companies involved.
Rafizi RamliRafizi asserted that such an approach is misguided as a national budget should only involve the government directly without extending to GLCs and GLICs.
While tabling the budget, Anwar said spending by GLICs, statutory bodies, and public-private investments would provide the government with an additional RM50.8 billion for public initiatives.
This, he added, would bring the total allocation for next year’s budget to RM470 billion.
Budget 2026, at RM419.2 billion, is slightly smaller than Budget 2025’s RM421 billion, as the Anwar administration reins in its spending and faces pressure from global oil prices.  - Mkini

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