RM7b more needed

KUALA L UMPUR: The government yesterday tabled a supplementary supply bill seeking an additional allocation of RM7.122 billion for 2017 from the Consolidated Fund.

The Supplementary Supply (2017) Act 2018, tabled by Finance Minister II Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani is for services and purposes specified in the 2017 schedule.

The largest allocation of RM2.71 billion was for “Statutory Funds”, while RM82.07 million was for the Elections Commission.

Other allocations were for : Education Ministry (RM891 million). Home Mi n i s t r y ( RM804 million). Agriculture and Agro-Based industry (RM685.4 million); Healt h Minist r y ( RM479 million). Higher Education Ministry

(RM425.4 million). Women, Family and Community Development Ministry (RM235 million). Foreign Ministry (RM155 million). Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry (RM150 million). Public Service Department (RM395.7 million). Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (RM35 million). Communications and Multimedia Ministry (RM24 million). Prime Minister’s Department (RM23 million). Human Resource Ministry (RM16 million). Parliament (RM10 million). In October 2016, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak, who is also finance minister, tabled a RM260.8 billion Budget 2017, that was 3.4% higher than Budget 2016.

Najib said Budget 2017 focused on accelerating growth, narrowing budget deficit and addressing the rising cost of living.

The revenue collection was to expand by about 3% to RM219.7 billion and a budget deficit expected at RM40.3 billion, or 3% of GDP for 2017.

This is not the first time the government is tabling such supplementary bills, as last year it had tabled for an additional RM3.081 billion for its 2016 federal budget.