Deputy Finance Minister II, Steven Sim revealed that the Ministry of Finance (MOF) has received as many as 10,000 responses from the public through the Budget 2024 proposal portal. This comes as the ministry wrapped up its feedback collection exercise on 22 September 2023, including face-to-face engagement sessions done nationwide.

Sim also shared that the face-to-face engagement sessions saw the participation of more than 8,000 individuals across Malaysia. These included stakeholders at various levels, such as state, sectors, and ministries.

“We (MOF) have concluded engagement sessions nationwide and received various feedback, including 10,000 through the portal. All of these will be summarised and considered for Budget 2024, to be tabled in less than a month, on 13 October. We are assessing all the feedback and conducting a thorough analysis. Currently, we are in the last stage of budget preparation,” Sim further stated, reiterating as well that the upcoming national budget will continue to focus on the people’s welfare, ongoing and improved assistance programmes, as well as national infrastructure development.

Just last week, Sim had reassured that Budget 2024 will be centred on assisting the M40 group and small and medium enterprises (SMEs), given that both of these groups are still in need of support due to the lingering economic consequences of Covid-19. Deputy Finance Minister I, Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan also shared that the MOF is already working on analysing the proposals and suggestions that were shared with them.

MOF had begun collecting feedback and suggestions for Budget 2024 from Malaysians since July 2023. It was originally slated to end on 15 September 2023, but was subsequently extended until 22 September instead, due to favourable response from the public.

(Source: Malay Mail)

• TAGS:
• Budget 2024
• Budget 2024 Engagement Sessions
• Budget 2024 Proposal
• Finance Ministry
• Ministry of Finance
• Steven Sim Chee Keong