The Malaysian Insight

BUDGET 2018 was passed at the policy stage today, with 107 members of parliament voting in support, 59 against and 11 abstaining. 

It will now proceed to the committee stage of debates.

Mahfuz Omar (PAS- Pokok Sena) said he was the only PAS lawmaker who voted against the budget. 

“PAS has 12 MPs, including me. I voted against, the others abstained from voting,” he said. 

Second Finance Minister Johari Abdul Ghani was the last minister to wind up the debates.

On October 27, Prime Minister Najib Razak announced a national budget of RM280.2 billion for 2018, an increase of 5.4% from 2017’s RM260 billion budget.

Of the RM280.2 billion, 83.5% or RM234.2 billion will go towards operating expenses – for civil service salaries and debt servicing.

Putrajaya also aims to collect RM239.86 billion in 2018. The budget will also target a fiscal deficit of 2.8% while expecting growth to reach 5% to 5.5% next year. – November 13, 2017.