Budget 2017: B40 group's welfare a government priority

The welfare of the B40 group will be a top priority in Budget 2017, said Deputy Finance Minister I Datuk Othman Aziz.

The B40 group refers to the 40 percent of the population who are in the lower income bracket.

"Among the focus in the budget this time around is the 'marhaen' (ordinary people) following the ever increasing cost of living.

"The government will find ways to help the B40 group in generating additional income to ensure economic sustainability, be they in the rural or urban areas," Othman said after closing the Northern Undergraduates Entrepreneurship and Arts Carnival 2016 at the Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) Perlis here Sunday.

Also present were Primadona Worldwide CEO Datuk Seri Musharuddin Mohamad, UiTM Perlis rector Zailuddin Ariffin, Finance Ministry's National Strategy Unit director Dr Aminuddin Hassim and Special Officer to the Prime Minister, Isham Jalil.

Othman, who is also Muda Agricultural Development Authority (MADA) chairman, said among other focus was to improve the economic status of people in the rural areas, particularly padi farmers, by increasing the national rice production.

"At the moment, MADA is supplying 38 percent of the rice supply in the country. We are looking at ways to increase the number up to 70 percent to help the group to generate more income," he said. -- Bernama