KUALA LUMPUR: The Dewan Rakyat passed the Supply Bill 2023, also known as Budget 2023, following a voice vote by MPs on Tuesday (March 28) evening.
Deputy Speaker Alice Lau announced this after debates on the Higher Education Ministry and the Education Ministry’s allocations in Budget 2023 at the committee stage were completed.
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Earlier in the afternoon, 26 MPs took part in debates at the committee stage for the Education Ministry’s allocations, while 15 MPs debated on the Higher Education Ministry budget.
The revised Budget 2023, worth RM386.14bil, tabled by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on Feb 24, is Malaysia’s largest federal budget to date.
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It saw debates by MPs at the policy stage for six days from Feb 27 to March 7, followed by two days of ministerial replies on March 8 and 9.
From March 13, committee stage debates on Budget 2023 continued for 10 days, with two or three ministries delivering their winding-up speeches after MPs spoke for five minutes each.
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Last October, then finance minister Tengku Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz tabled a RM372.3bil Budget 2023.
However, shortly after, Parliament was dissolved for the 15th General Election on Nov 19.
From March 29 onwards, Parliament will resume with government affairs and Bills, as well as Private Members’ Bills.
