Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak has set a new record, after allocating the largest budget for his own department since coming into power.

This is despite several other government services suffering deep cuts including the Higher Education Ministry, which saw its funding reduced by RM2.4 billion.

In the Budget 2016 announced yesterday, the Prime Minister's Department was allocated RM20.310 billion.

The amount comprises 7.6 percent of the total budget, the highest ever for the Prime Minister's Department in Najib's seven budgets since 2010.

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This is up from RM19.06 billion or 6.97 percent of the total budget in Budget 2015.

Royal budget slashed

The last time the prime minister's budget had taken this large of a proportion was in 2011, at 7.5 percent.

The amount was reduced in 2012 but has been growing drastically annually since.

When Najib tabled his first budget in 2010, the Prime Minister's Department's expenditure was only 6.37 percent of the total budget, at RM12.194 billion.

Meanwhile, allowances for the royalty were slashed for the first time in Najib's seven budgets since 2010.

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The royals' allowances were cut by 17.68 percent from RM1.813 million to RM1.490 million.

However, allocation for the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong remained unchanged, at RM13.533 million.

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