KUALA LUMPUR – The tabling of Budget 2024 will be the highlight of the third meeting of the second term of the 15th Parliament when the Dewan Rakyat session begins tomorrow until November 30.
According to the Parliament’s official website, the tabling of the Supply Bill 2024 by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who is also finance minister, will take place at about 4pm on October 13.
Anwar was reported to have said that the Health Ministry (MoH) and the Education Ministry will continue to receive the largest allocations under the 2024 Madani budget.
He said among the matters to be focused in the MoH budget are the building of health clinics and solving the problem of congestion in government hospitals throughout the country.
The Parliament’s calendar indicates that the Supply Bill 2024 will be debated at the policy stage from October 16 to 26.
It would then be debated at the committee stage from November 6 to 27, before being approved by the Dewan Rakyat.
Among the bills that will be tabled for the second reading is the Control of Smoking Products for Public Health Bill 2023, scheduled for October 10.
Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa previously said that the bill is a form of continued commitment by the MoH and the government to ensure the health and safety of the people are protected from the dangers of smoking products.
The bill was tabled for the first reading in the Dewan Rakyat on June 12, and was referred to the Special Select Committee on Health and an assessment was made by members of the committee to strengthen the bill so that it could be discussed, scrutinised and supported by all parties.
In addition, the Inland Revenue Board of Malaysia (Amendment) Bill 2023 is also expected to be tabled during the session.
Deputy Finance Minister I Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan said the tabling was in line with the decision of the cabinet meeting on June 5, to respect and give more power to Sabah and Sarawak in the spirit of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 Implementation Action Council.
Meanwhile, Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul hoped that this session would be filled with quality debates and ideas for national development.
He was quoted as saying that it is important for MPs to show good values because there are studies showing that young people are increasingly interested in listening to debates and following developments in Parliament. – October 8, 2023