Wan Junaidi confirms Budget 2023 on Oct 7, denies early GE link

The tabling of Budget 2023 will now be pushed three weeks earlier than initially scheduled, confirmed Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Parliament and Law) Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar.

Budget 2023 will be presented in the Dewan Rakyat on Oct 7, he said.

"Yes, it is true. The new session will start on Oct 3 actually," he told Malaysiakini when contacted.

He, however, denied any link between the change of date of the new sitting and the next general election, which is speculated to be held this year as Umno has been mounting pressure on Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob for a snap poll.

"No, there is no discussion on the general election, which is very much still the prerogative of the prime minister (who will) go and seek an audience with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong (to dissolve Parliament).

"Actually, the budget session starts in September and sometimes we had our budget done by September. It’s a bit late to have it by end of October.

"The prime minister is using his authority under Rule 11(2) of the Dewan Rakyat's Standing Order to make it a bit early by about 20 over days," said Wan Junaidi.

He added that the cabinet reached a consensus on the proposal brought by him to bring forward the next parliamentary sitting.

"I was the one who tabled the paper for a change of date and timing. As far as I am concerned, we have five outstanding bills that we tabled for the first reading in the last session and must be completed (by the next session).

"My arrangement is to ensure all the bills are passed," he said.

Other bills may be tabled too

The next sitting was initially slated to be held between Oct 28 and Dec 15 where Finance Minister Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz would table Budget 2023 on Oct 28.

In a statement issued later, Wan Junaidi said the cabinet proposed the dates be shifted 23 days earlier than before, which would have been from Oct 3 until Nov 29 (32 days).

Meanwhile, for the Senate, which was originally slated to sit from Dec 8 to Dec 22, the new dates are proposed to be from Nov 21 to Dec 7.

“Apart from (allowing the 2023 Budget to be tabled early), it would enable the Supplementary Supply Bill 2022 and the Fiscal Responsibility Bill to be tabled as soon as the Dewan Rakyat approves the Supply (Budget) 2023 Bill,” he said.

Earlier today, The Star reported that Ismail Sabri informed the cabinet of the decision to reschedule the tabling of Budget 2023 at a meeting.

Yesterday, Deputy Finance Minister I Mohd Shahar Abdullah said Budget 2023 would be tabled on Oct 28 as scheduled in Parliament’s calendar.

Last week, Wan Junaidi indicated the next general election is likely to be called only after the tabling of the federal budget in Parliament.

“Once the budget is passed and the people felt its benefits, then it would be the right time to dissolve Parliament,” he had said. - Mkini