Second Finance Minister Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah said all ministries need to be prudent in implementing operating and development expenditure.

He said through the recalibrated Budget 2016, some ministries had their operating expenditure reduced by between two and five percent.

“It was determined at the recent cabinet meeting that every ministry had to ensure that the expenditure determined by us (Finance Ministry) be implemented in a prudent manner,” he added.

Ahmad Husni told a media conference this after officially opening the SMK Jelapang Jaya Parent-Teacher Association meeting in Ipoh today.

He said the reduction in development expenditure of RM5 billion would not impact the implementation of critical projects.

Meanwhile, Ahmad Husni said the government would ensure that Malaysia’s economy continued to grow at a realistic rate of between 4 to 4.5 percent, apart from achieving a 3.1 percent fiscal deficit.

On allegations that the 1Malaysia People’s Aid (BR1M) had yet to be received by some, he said it was being disbursed in stages and should not be a problem.

- Bernama