Bill seeking RM11.97b supplementary budget passes second reading in Dewan Rakyat

KUALA LUMPUR (Aug 11): The Supplementary Supply (2019) Bill 2020 has passed its second reading in the Dewan Rakyat today, amid a seemingly unanimous agreement for the bill to be brought to the committee stage tomorrow.

During the debate, Members of Parliament (MPs) from both sides of the political spectrum brought up several points including the suggestion for a limit on future supplementary budgets to ensure the ministries are more fiscally disciplined, which was brought forward by Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan (BN-Pontian).

However, Deputy Minister of Finance Datuk Abdul Rahim Bakri said there would be no enforcement of a ceiling, as the additional allocations depends on the needs of each ministry, provided there is fiscal headroom for the additional allocations.

“We take note of the suggestion for greater fiscal discipline,” he said.

Teo Nie Ching (PH-Kulai) brought up a similar point, for there to be a special parliamentary sitting for any additional allocation exceeding 2% of the original budget.

Abdul Rahim said this was a good suggestion and pointed out that the approved supplementary budget stood at 1.9% in 2015, 1.9% in 2016, 1.1% in 2017, 2.4% in 2018 and 3.6% in 2019.

Wong Chen (PH-Subang) suggested the preparation of quarterly management accounts to address the issue of additional allocations, which the deputy minister also agreed was a good proposal to ensure fiscal discipline.

Other MPs also asked about the specifics of the additional allocations for certain ministries, while others were more concerned about the Independent Police Complaints of Misconduct Commission Bill 2019 (IPCMC), despite it not being entirely related to the supplementary budget bill.

The IPCMC bill is slated to go for its second reading and has been set as item number seven in the Order Paper, after the Supply (Reallocation of Appropriated Expenditure) Bill 2020, Temporary Measures For Government Financing (Coronavirus Disease 2019 (Covid-19)) Bill 2020, Road Transport (Amendment) Bill 2020, Poisons (Amendment) Bill 2020 and the Constitution (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2019.

The Supplementary Supply (2019) Bill 2020, which seeks to accommodate additional expenditure of RM11.97 billion for 2019, has been tabled for its second reading in the Dewan Rakyat today.

The RM11.97 billion figure comprises RM7 billion in supply expenditure and RM4.97 billion in development expenditure.

The additional allocation comprises RM5.16 billion to be allocated to the different ministries.

Some of the larger amounts earmarked for the ministries include RM2.63 billion for the Ministry of Finance (MoF), RM1.18 billion for the Ministry of Health (MoH), as well as RM635.9 million for the Ministry of Housing and Local Government.

Other ministries in need of additional allocations include the Ministry of Education (RM623.7 million), Ministry of Defence (RM362.9 million), Ministry of Agriculture (RM313.2 million) and Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) (RM77.1 million).

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