KUALA LUMPUR – With only 10 days left until the tabling of Budget 2023, the Finance Ministry (MoF) is still giving members of the public and businesses the opportunity to share their proposals and views to ensure that the budget would benefit all target groups.
National Budget Office director Datuk Shahrol Anuwar Sarman said the engagement sessions on Budget 2023 had begun as early as March this year, followed by comprehensive consultation sessions and roadshows in May.
He added that about 190 engagement sessions were held, and 242 memoranda, as well as more than 6,000 views from members of the public on the budget, had been received.
“We are still monitoring the forums, because there are still discussions being held regarding Budget 2023, and we also have a dedicated online portal through which we have received thousands of views, all of which are being analysed in detail for us to implement in Budget 2023.
“There’s still time (to share your views) in these 10 days, for example, through the media or via emails, and we will take into account all these views,” he said during a talk show on Budget 2020’s achievements aired by RTM last night.
To date, six pre-Budget 2023 statements have been issued on the budget’s direction and feedback.
Shahrol said Budget 2023 is similar to Budget 2022 in that it continues to focus on the people’s wellbeing, enhancing business resilience and economic recovery.
Overall, he said Budget 2022 was on the right track, based on the achievements with regards to economic growth, the unemployment rate, industrial production and the tourism sector.
However, he noted that some groups had been left out from the assistance provided under Budget 2022.
“Some groups were unaware of the assistance provided under the budget and we are looking into why that had happened.
“The reason is quite clear for the rural areas, but there are groups in the urban areas who have been left out of the benefits the budget provided.
“The value of the assistance might have been small, but we want it to benefit everyone,” he said, adding that the government is currently looking into this issue so that it would recur under Budget 2023. – Bernama, September 28, 2022
