Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Parliament and Law) Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar. – YAP CHEE HONG/The Star
PETALING JAYA: Budget 2023 will be tabled in Parliament on Oct 7, confirms Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar.
The Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Parliament and Law) said in a statement that the third meeting of the fifth session of the 14th Parliament would start on Oct 3 with Budget 2023 tabled on Oct 7.
"The new calendar date will be from Oct 3 to Nov 29 for the Dewan Rakyat (32 days) and Nov 21 until Dec 7 for Dewan Negara," he said in a statement Friday (Aug 26).
Earlier, The Star reported that the Budget will be tabled much earlier on Oct 7.
The upcoming Dewan Rakyat meeting was initially scheduled to take place between Oct 26 and Dec 15 while for Dewan Negara, it was supposed to take place between Dec 8 and 22, this year.
Wan Junaidi explained that the changes were following the need by the government to amend the calendar to allow the tabling of Budget 2023 earlier.
"The Prime Minister had used his power under Rule 11(2) of the Standing Orders and Rules of Dewan Rakyat," said Wan Junaidi.
The decision is regarded as an indication that the general election will be held soon.
Barisan Nasional officials, in reaction to the news, said the Parliament could be dissolved after the Budget is tabled.
Finance Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz will present the Budget when the Dewan meets again on Oct 3.
Following the Cabinet’s directive, the next step will be to inform Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Azhar Azizan Harun, who needs at least 28 days to inform the Members of Parliament of the new date.
