THE Cabinet remains the authority for collective government decisions, with differences between ministries forming part of the policy deliberation process rather than indicating divisions within the administration, says Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
He said government policies and decisions must undergo proper consideration and coordination, with matters requiring collective decisions brought before the Cabinet for approval in accordance with the principle of collective Cabinet responsibility.
Anwar was responding to Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin (PN-Larut), who questioned whether the public disagreement between the Finance Ministry and the Rural and Regional Development Ministry over a RM2.1 billion discrepancy in Rural Road Programme (JALB) expenditure reflected divisions within the government.
He also asked which authority determined the government's official position.
Anwar said differences in views and approaches were part of the process of weighing ministries' respective responsibilities, jurisdictions and priorities to ensure effective implementation of the Madani government's agenda.
He stressed that coordination between ministries would be maintained to align policies and prevent overlapping functions, while ensuring decisions served the people's interests, national development priorities and the government's financial capacity.
"The government will always ensure that coordination between ministries is carried out in an orderly manner to ensure policy alignment and avoid overlapping functions.
"The government also ensures that every decision is made in the interests of the people, the country's development priorities and the government's financial capacity," he said in a written parliamentary reply.
The RM2.1 billion discrepancy arose from a comparison of the programme's actual expenditure of RM6.108 billion against its original allocation of RM3.982 billion between 2023 and 2025, without accounting for revised allocations.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi had said the discrepancy did not indicate missing funds or misappropriation.
Anwar added that the government would continue monitoring economic indicators, strengthening inter-ministerial cooperation and assessing policy implementation to ensure decisions delivered tangible and sustainable benefits. - November 5, 2026
