Power of voters will determine Budget 2023 approval - PM

The power of voters this Nov 19 will determine whether Budget 2023 will be approved for implementation in the interest of the people, Caretaker Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said.

He said everything proposed in Budget 2023 would be implemented on the condition that the government under his leadership and the party and coalition that he represents, namely, Umno and Barisan Nasional, could control Putrajaya.

The prime minister said Budget 2023, tabled on Oct 7, was the biggest budget in the country’s history which covered all Malaysians, whether in the urban or rural areas, but this budget has not been approved. Hence, it could not be implemented yet.

"It’s a beautiful budget, whereby all the ‘orang kampung’ (villagers) can benefit too but because it has not been approved, the money cannot be spent yet.

"Thus, the power to determine that the money can be used is in your hands, ladies and gentlemen. 

"This Nov 19, you will determine that the budget be tabled again and approved in the interest of all," Ismail Sabri said at a programme with the officers and staff of the Central Terengganu Development Authority (Ketengah) at the Bandar Seri Bandi Sports Complex in Kemaman, Terengganu, today.

Budget 2023 amounting to RM372.3 billion and tabled by Finance Minister Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz in the Dewan Rakyat last Oct 7 is the biggest in the country’s history.

Ismail Sabri said that if ‘others’ were to rule this country, it could not be ascertained that the projects contained in Budget 2023 could be implemented.

“We had already experienced the situation where when others took over the (federal) government, many of the big projects were cancelled,” he added.

The Election Commission has set Nov 19 for polling in GE15, with early voting fixed for Nov 15 and the nomination of candidates on Nov 5.

- Bernama

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