Budget 2023: More affordable housing on youth's wishlist

The youth expressed their wish for more affordable housing, more job opportunities, assistance for small and medium enterprises or SMEs and certain tax deductions for companies to enable them to provide assistance to sports groups and sports associations, said Maslan. — Bernama

PETALING JAYA: Affordable home ownership was one of the dreams or wishes expressed by the youthsduring a Budget 2023 dialogue session held last week.

Deputy Finance Minister I Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan said they had also expressed their hope for more job opportunities to ensure a sustainable livelihood.

“Last week, for example, the youth expressed their wish for more affordable housing, more job opportunities, assistance for small and medium enterprises or SMEs and certain tax deductions for companies to enable them to provide assistance to sports groups and sports associations.

“We have a budget team attending every dialogue session to take notes and formulate the best resolutions to be used in the budget presentation later,” he told reporters after the new Benut 4 water tank officiation ceremony in Pontian yesterday.

The Pontian Member of Parliament said the interesting thing this year was that there would be two budget presentations.

“If (these requests) are excluded from Budget 2023 tabled on Feb 24, they may be included in Budget 2024 this October or November,” he said.

A total of 18 Budget 2023 dialogue sessions will be organised from Jan 26 to Feb 10 in order for the government to get feedback and views from all stakeholders before formulating the budget highlights.

Meanwhile, commenting on the Benut 4 water tank construction project which was completed last November, Ahmad said it had the capacity to provide treated water supply to 20,000 residents, especially during the festive seasons and in times of water supply disruption.

He said construction of the water tank, which has a 4.5 million litres per day capacity, started in 2020 at a cost of RM13mil.

The project entailed the installation of pipes with a 450-millimetre diameter spanning 1.1kms from Benut 4’s new water tank up to the Jalan Parit Ismail and Jalan Jaafar crossroad.

“This project is able to increase the supply of treated water in Benut for residents in Sungai Simpan, Parit Ismail, Parit Mastar, Air Baloi, Parit Sayang and the Tun Dr Ismail Mara Junior Science College, especially during the festive season,” he said. — Bernama