Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi (left) with Johor State Secretary Tan Sri Dr Azmi Rohani (right) showing the state budget 2023 at the state assembly meeting at Bangunan Sultan Ismail in Kota Iskandar, Johor on Dec 1 — THOMAS YONG/The Star.
ISKANDAR PUTERI: The Barisan Nasional-led Johor government has presented its 2023 budget with a surplus of RM2.44mil after two years of recording deficits due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi (pic) said the state revenue next year was expected to be at RM1.734bil with the projected state expenditure in 2023 is at RM1.731bil, which would see a surplus of RM2.44mil.
He added that the estimated revenue for next year was expected to increase by 3.75% while operating expenses for the same period would see a decrease by 11.56%.
“The budget, which is themed 'Maju Johor: Prosperity Together with the People', is described as a continuation of the struggle that dignifies the state's glorious economic growth.
“The Johor Budget 2023 is aimed at reducing the impact of the global economy and ensuring that growth targets can be driven that will improve the well-being of the people,” he added.
The Machap assemblyman said this in his speech during the tabling of the state Budget 2023 at the Johor state assembly in Bangunan Sultan Ismail here in Kota Iskandar on Thursday (Dec 1).
He also said next year, the state’s expenditure consisted of development expenditure of RM600mil while operating expenditure amounted to RM1.126bil.
"The Johor Budget 2023 is drafted with the 3.8 million people of Johor always in the hearts and minds of the state government.
"We are in a challenging economic situation. What is important is that we need to provide a sustainable, resilient economic plan as well as sufficient reserves to face various future challenges," he said, adding that the Malaysian economy was not exempt from facing the same impact.
Onn Hafiz added that although the country was in the recovery phase, the uncertainty of the global economy would certainly affect the economic growth of the country, including Johor, which has an open economy.
