Thanks for keeping initiatives introduced by my govt, Ismail tells Anwar
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim (left) with his predecessor Ismail Sabri Yaakob when the latter paid a courtesy visit on Dec 6. (Facebook pic)
PETALING JAYA: Former prime minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob has thanked his successor, Anwar Ibrahim, for continuing several initiatives introduced by the previous government in the mini-budget that was passed in the Dewan Rakyat earlier.
Ismail said this included the early school aid for students, monsoon season aid, special increment for civil servants and the provision of 50,000 contract jobs through the Malaysia Short-term Employment Programme (MySTEP).
The Bera MP said these initiatives were part of Budget 2023 tabled on Oct 27, which he said emphasised ensuring the people’s welfare and the nation’s economic prosperity.
The Umno vice-president also pointed out that his government had decided not to raise electricity tariff rates in the Peninsula in June, costing his administration some RM5.8 billion in subsidies, and had also given RM1.2 billion in subsidies to farmers to curb the rise of chicken and egg prices.
“The previous government had tried its best to ensure that the cost of living did not increase exponentially.
“I thank the prime minister (Anwar) for carrying on with the aspirations of ‘Keluarga Malaysia’ and hope that the fate of the people continues to be safeguarded,” he said in a Facebook post.
Earlier today, the Dewan Rakyat passed a RM107.7 billion temporary operating budget, which included RM55.9 billion for civil servants’ salaries and other related operational expenditures for the government.
Anwar, who is also the finance minister, said the government would continue the RM150 payment in early school aid for all students regardless of their parents’ incomes, an initiative announced by Ismail in Budget 2023.
Some RM825 million will be allocated for this.
Anwar also said his government would proceed with the RM100 increment for all civil servants between Grade 11 and Grade 56, which would involve an expenditure of RM1.5 billion.
PETALING JAYA: Former prime minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob has thanked his successor, Anwar Ibrahim, for continuing several initiatives introduced by the previous government in the mini-budget that was passed in the Dewan Rakyat earlier.
Ismail said this included the early school aid for students, monsoon season aid, special increment for civil servants and the provision of 50,000 contract jobs through the Malaysia Short-term Employment Programme (MySTEP).
The Bera MP said these initiatives were part of Budget 2023 tabled on Oct 27, which he said emphasised ensuring the people’s welfare and the nation’s economic prosperity.
The Umno vice-president also pointed out that his government had decided not to raise electricity tariff rates in the Peninsula in June, costing his administration some RM5.8 billion in subsidies, and had also given RM1.2 billion in subsidies to farmers to curb the rise of chicken and egg prices.
“The previous government had tried its best to ensure that the cost of living did not increase exponentially.
“I thank the prime minister (Anwar) for carrying on with the aspirations of ‘Keluarga Malaysia’ and hope that the fate of the people continues to be safeguarded,” he said in a Facebook post.
Earlier today, the Dewan Rakyat passed a RM107.7 billion temporary operating budget, which included RM55.9 billion for civil servants’ salaries and other related operational expenditures for the government.
Anwar, who is also the finance minister, said the government would continue the RM150 payment in early school aid for all students regardless of their parents’ incomes, an initiative announced by Ismail in Budget 2023.
Some RM825 million will be allocated for this.
Anwar also said his government would proceed with the RM100 increment for all civil servants between Grade 11 and Grade 56, which would involve an expenditure of RM1.5 billion.
The enormity of the burden of the cost of the bloated civil service is shown by how the RM100 increment (sounds paltry) for all civil servants between Grade 11 and Grade 56, would end up involve an expenditure of RM1.5 billion. .
ReplyDeleteThe fact of the matter is Ismail Sabri's UMNO Government made the highly dubious action of presenting the 2023 Budget, then dissolving Parliament before the Budget could be passed.
ReplyDeleteBasically Malaysia has no 2023 Budget, because that Budget, or any other legislation that was presented to Parliament but not yet passed is invalidated once that Parliament got dissolved.
This Supplemental Budget is forced by circumstances such that Anwar Ibrahim hardly has any opportunity to place his input into this.
It needed to be passed before December 31st, else the Malaysian Federal Government runs out of the legal Parliamentary authorisation to spend money, especially to pay Civil Servants salary.
An interesting vignette from history in the Westminster Parliamentary system. It took the British centuries of argument, including the English Civil War 1642 - 1651, to establish the principle that the Crown (the King directly at the time, but now basically the Government institution) needed authorisation from Parliament to tax as well as spend money.
In those days Parliament consisted only of the aristocracy and propertied landowners and merchants, so it was not a real democracy, it was not until centuries later that all citizens could vote, and ordinary commoners could stand for election to Parliament.