Government cannot pay salaries of frontliners, civil servants if 2021 Budget not approved

KUALA LUMPUR: The government will not be able to carry out its commitments including paying the salaries of civil servants and assistance for frontliners in the war against COVID-19 if the 2021 Budget is not approved by the Dewan Rakyat.

Finance Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz said however, he was optimistic that the Budget which involved operating and development expenditures focused on helping the people and restoring the country's business and the economy, would be approved.

"For me, if this Budget can help our country, then there is no reason for it not to be approved, or rejected (in the Dewan Rakyat).

If it’s rejected, in terms of the economy, we will not be able to fund the government's commitments, including disbursing aid to the people," he said at a media conference in Wisma Bernama here today.

On Nov 6, Tengku Zafrul tabled the 2021 Budget with the largest allocation in the country's history at RM322.5 billion.

--BERNAMA