Budget 2023 to be re-tabled on Feb 24, confirms MOF

KUALA LUMPUR: The Finance Ministry (MoF) has confirmed that Prime Minister and Finance Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim will table the revised Budget 2023 in the Dewan Rakyat on Feb 24, 2023.

"Yes the date is confirmed," an MoF spokesperson responded briefly to the media when asked to confirm the matter today.

Several media had reported Dewan Rakyat Speaker Datuk Johari Abdul as saying Budget 2023 would be presented on Feb 24, as only a mini-budget was previously presented for service expenses and salary payments.

"Overall, the budget presentation and debate process including committee matters and policy will take 21 days," he was quoted as saying in The Star Online portal late yesterday.

According to the Parliament's official portal, the first meeting of the second session of the 15th Parliament will run from Feb 13 until March 30, 2023.

On Dec 20, the Dewan Rakyat unanimously approved the 2023 Mini Budget and the Consolidated Fund (Accountable Expenditure) Bill 2022.

To recap, then-Finance Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz tabled a RM372.3 billion Budget 2023, the largest allocation in Malaysia's history, on Oct 7, 2022.

Three days later, on Oct 10, the Parliament was dissolved to make way for the 15th general election on Nov 19, 2022.

-- BERNAMA