KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 13 — The Malaysia MADANI Budget 2024 tabled in Parliament today by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has been described as comprehensive since all targetted groups stand to enjoy the benefits.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the incentives and initiatives included in the Budget 2024 provides a strong support to the government’s efforts to eradicate poverty by year end.
“From nearly 130,000 hard core poor families listed, the number has dropped to 18,000 and God Willing (Insya-Allah) the numbers will be wiped out by Dec 31,” he told reporters at the Parliament lobby after the Budget was tabled.
Earlier, the Prime Minister who is also the Finance Minister tabled the Maalaysia MADANI Budget 2024 themed “Economic Reformation, People Empowerment” with an allocation of RM393.8 billion, the highest in the history of the country’s budget announcement.
The Prime Minister said RM303.8 billion or 77.1 percent will be channelled to operating expenditure (OE) while the remaining RM90 billion will be allocated to development expenditure (DE) with RM2 billion in contingency savings.
Ahmad Zahid who is also the Rural and Regional Development Minister also thanked the Prime Minister for increasing the allocation for his ministry by 4.7 percent or RM513 million in the Budget 2024.
“Just as announced, there will be new programmes that not only provide sustainability to the existing programmes under the ministry, but involves the setting up of new KEMAS as well as provide special allocations for pre-Tahfiz education and for the development of Orang Asli,” he said.
The Deputy Prime Minister added that the allocation would also enable the ministry to continue efforts to build infrastructure in rural areas like water supply, provide electricity and increase social programmes for communities.
Meanwhile, Ahmad Zahid said a bigger allocation for Felda, Felcra and Risda will boost the income and earning capacity of farmers and smallholders.
Anwar had announced an allocation of RM2.4 billion to Felda, Felcra and Risda to stimulate agricommodity activity and improve smallholders’ socioeconomy.
