KUALA LUMPUR: Finance Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz tabled the Budget 2023 in Parliament today.

This is the second budget tabled under the government led by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob and also the second since the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP) was launched on Sept 27 last year.

The prime minister had previously said that the government would ensure that the budget would focus on the welfare and well-being of all segments of society by taking into account the challenges that await next year.

He said among the main focus of Budget 2023 is to ensure the post-COVID-19 recovery, which includes creating job opportunities, increasing the people’s income and ensuring business continuity.

This is the third time Tengku Zafrul has tabled the national budget as the Finance Minister after doing so the first time under the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government in 2020.

On Oct 29 last year, Tengku Zafrul tabled the Budget 2022 with the highest allocation ever totaling RM332.1 billion for the implementation of various strategies and initiatives towards the people’s well-being, as well as to ensure prosperous and sustainable economic growth.