PUTRAJAYA – The revised 2023 unity government budget will be focusing on small and medium enterprises (SME) as well as the green and digital economy, said Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim during the pre-budget dialogue today.
The prime minister said these three sectors will be critical, particularly in light of the current global economic slowdown stemming from multiple factors, including the Russia-Ukraine war and Covid-19 post-pandemic.
“Sometimes we are disconnected from reality. Bankers and mega corporations focus on solutions for their industries but we must not forget our goal of developing the community and the country. That’s why I use the term ‘civil society’ because this is a sustainability issue.
“We must think for both, short and long term. The nation cannot be sustainable if there are leakages, robbing the land of its timber as has happened before. Sustainability cannot be defended if there is no clear commitment on climate change.
“Thus, we need a new clear policy to regenerate our green areas,” said Anwar.
He added that care and compassion must be part of the government’s policy for many Malaysians, such as half a million rubber tappers who are still suffering financial constraints.
Anwar also stressed the need for the country to focus on its SME sector, as they are a major contributor to the country’s economy and provide innumerable jobs to the nation.
The Tambun MP explained that the SME sector should be given more support and allowed to grow and develop so they can also compete with mega corporations, multinationals, and other bigger players.
He added that one of the groups left behind were stall owners and small traders, who number in the hundreds of thousands but have been ignored by previous administrations.
“This is why I visited these stalls on Friday. This is what I mean by making a change. It’s a real effort to change this orientation and ensure that the vast majority of our citizens benefit from these so-called economic initiatives or reforms.
“There’s nothing wrong with helping around 30 to 40 small trader premises this year, and beautifying them for the benefit of tens of thousands of poor people,” said Anwar, adding that he hopes mega-corporations and government-linked companies will help him succeed in this endeavour through their corporate social responsibility programmes.
Anwar is expected to table the revised Budget 2023 on February 24. – The Vibes, January 17, 2023
Additional reporting by Fitri Nizam
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