Essence of 2023 Budget is in BN manifesto - PM

The Prime Minister said that the essence of the largest budget ever prepared amounting to RM372.3 billion also covers all sectors and that the government has sufficient allocations to implement it.

Ismail Sabri said, that some parties want to copy its essence indicates it s a good and comprehensive budget.

"Tan Sri Muhyiddin had made various comments about the government earlier but when we present a good budget, he also wants to plagiarize (imitate) the budget presented by the Keluarga Malaysia government under my leadership," he said.

Ismail Sabri said this at a press conference after attending a People's Feast with FELDA Sebertak community at the FELDA Sebertak Dewan Orang Ramai here today, which was also attended by BN candidate for Guai state seat, Khairulnizam Mohamad Zuldin.

He was commenting on the statement by Perikatan Nasional (PN) chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin who reportedly assured that all Budget 2023 initiatives including aid to the people and civil servants will be improved and implemented, when announcing the PN manifesto yesterday.

In another development, Ismail Sabri also denied allegations by Muhyiddin that he reportedly rejected Muhyiddin's request for a special moratorium to be granted to the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (PMKS) group.

He said the government is always sensitive and concerned about PKMS and that group will benefit from Budget 2023 such as a one-off grant of RM1,000 with an allocation of RM1 billion apart from funds for loans to develop businesses under the National Enterpreneur Group Economic Fund (TEKUN).

"The moratorium is (the repayment of) the loan (which is) postponed. The loan is still there, so it doesn't solve the problem, instead we help them (PMKS) expand their business... where there is no capital we will give new loans.

"I did not reject (PMKS special moratorium application) but asked the Ministry of Finance to study the matter," he said in his campaign to defend the Bera parliamentary seat he has been holding since 2004 in the 15th general election (GE15).