Finance Minister launches portal for Budget 2021 public input

Finance Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz launched a portal to obtain public input for Budget 2021 during an official visit to Johor yesterday, in conjunction with the Budget 2021 Consultation Roadshow.

In a statement, the ministry said the public could submit their suggestions and feedback through the website http://belanjawan2021.treasury.gov.my, beginning today until Sept 15, 2020.

"This official visit to Johor is part of the federal government's efforts to reach out to stakeholders via engagement sessions to get feedback on the PRIHATIN economic stimulus package and the National Economic Recovery Plan (PENJANA) initiatives as well as gather preliminary proposals in drafting Budget 2021, to be tabled this Nov 6,” it said.

During the visit, Tengku Zafrul also held dialogue sessions with representatives of the education and pharmaceutical sectors and women operating small and medium enterprises, and met with a number of single mothers who are receiving assistance under PENJANA.

Among the topics highlighted in the dialogue session with representatives of the education sector at Educity Iskandar Malaysia was the latter’s promotion as a quality educational destination from school to higher education and empowering the technical and vocational fields.

Also raised was the facilitation of international student admission management in the era of new norms and increasing investment in the education sector.

On the status of the current economy, Tengku Zafrul said gross domestic product (GDP) growth for the second quarter of 2020, recorded a contraction of 17.1 per cent, due to the enforcement of the Movement Control Order to curb the spread of COVID-19.

Nevertheless, he said when analysed more indepthly, the GDP contraction could be clearly seen to have decreased from April (-28.6 per cent) to May (-19.5 per cent), followed by sharp V-shaped recovery for June (-3.2 per cent).

“This clearly shows that the economy began to recover in May when it was reopened in stages and the COVID-19 infection rate was more controlled,” the minister said.