KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s national budget for 2023 will be tabled again before the end of this year, said caretaker prime minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob on Monday (Oct 17).
He said that Budget 2023 must be debated and approved by the House of Representatives or Dewan Rakyat so that the essence of the federal budget can be implemented.
“We have announced the budget. We want to give the people several goodies but the budget (Budget 2023) has yet to be approved,” said Mr Ismail Sabri at a meet and greet programme with smallholder farmers in Tapah, Perak.
In his speech, Mr Ismail Sabri gave his commitment to implement all the initiatives in the 2023 budget if he continues to be given the mandate as prime minister in the 15th General Election (GE15).
“If someone else takes over, I can’t guarantee what has been promised. There is a difference between the budget tabled (but not approved yet) and (an election) manifesto which is a promise.
“When the budget is tabled, it means funds are available. That’s the difference. The money is already there, just waiting for approval to be implemented,” Mr Ismail Sabri was quoted as saying by Bernama.
The budget tabled by then finance minister Tengku Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz on Oct 7 unveiled Mr Ismail Sabri government’s spending plan involving RM372.3 billion (US$80.06 billion) for 2023.