TAPAH – Budget 2023 will be presented again before the end of this year, said caretaker prime minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
He said the budget must be debated and approved in the Dewan Rakyat so that its essence can be implemented.
“We have announced the budget. We want to give the people several goodies but the budget has yet to be approved,” he said in his speech at a meet and greet with Rubber Industry Smallholders Development Authority and Federal Land Consolidation and Rehabilitation Authority smallholders at Arena Merdeka, here today.
Ismail Sabri gave his commitment to implement all the initiatives in the budget if were to be given the mandate as prime minister in the 15th general election.
“If someone else takes over, I can’t guarantee what has been promised. There is a difference between the budget presented not (being) approved and the manifesto, which is a promise.
“When the budget is presented, it means funds are available. That’s the difference. The money is already there, just waiting for approval to be implemented,” he said.
Last October 7, then-finance minister Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz presented the 2023 budget, which involved an allocation of RM372.3 billion.
However, it has not been approved or debated in the Dewan Rakyat following the dissolution of Parliament on October 10. – Bernama, October 17, 2022
