The opposition will not present an alternative budget this year, a practice which has been carried out since 1999.

"We have no plans to do so. The alternative budget in the past was done by the BA (Barisan Alternatif)," said Parliamentary Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang when met at the House today.

Asked how the opposition would provide a comparison for the people on the budget, he said opposition parliamentarians can raise their views during the debate.

The opposition's shadow budgets, crafted following consultations with concerned groups, economists and non-government organisations, have usually been presented before the tabling of the government budgets.

The first alternative budget was presented by leaders from PAS, DAP, Keadilan and PRM. But in 2001, DAP quit BA after crossing swords with PAS over the latter's Islamic state ambition.

Over the next two years, the remaining BA parties continued to present an alternative budget. The front now consists of only two parties following the merger of Keadilan and PRM to become Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR).

The March 21 general election saw DAP winning the most number of seats compared to its counterparts and Lim was made opposition leader replacing PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang.

Meanwhile, Kamarudin Jaffar (PAS-Tumpat) said BA would hold a budget analysis on Sunday at the PAS headquarters in Kuala Lumpur.

This will be conducted by PKR secretary-general Abdul Rahman Othman and PAS Negri Sembilan commissioner Dr Rosli Yaakob.

Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who is also the finance minister is scheduled to table his first budget in the Dewan Rakyat at 4pm on Friday.