KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 30 — The Supply (Budget) Bill 2027, which was passed at the policy stage following a two-week debate, stood out as a key development during this week’s Dewan Rakyat session as the proceedings also covered a range of other issues, including administrative governance, national development, and public welfare.
Budget 2027, tabled by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on October 9, secured the approval of the majority of Dewan Rakyat members on Thursday which allows the Bill to proceed to the committee stage, which is scheduled to take place from November 2 to November 26.
Also in the spotlight this week were government clarifications regarding national financial management, the recovery of assets linked to 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), and the role of government-linked investment companies (GLICs) in advancing the public well-being agenda.
During the Ministers’ Question Time on Tuesday, the Prime Minister announced that the government is considering a proposed “Government-Owned Entities Bill to tighten the governance of government-linked companies (GLCs) and related agencies, while preventing financial irregularities previously seen in cases involving 1MDB, Felda, and Tabung Haji.
He said the proposal seeks to establish clearer legal provisions and regulations to ensure that every government-owned entity including its subsidiaries is subject to effective regulatory mechanisms.
Anwar also emphasised a prohibition on political interference in the selection of projects and investments by GLCs and GLICs, ensuring that decisions are made professionally, meticulously, and prudently.
“Government-linked institutions mandated to safeguard the interests of the Bumiputera and the Muslim community must set an example in the practice of good governance specifically regarding integrity, transparency, and management accountability,” he said.
Regarding the rights of Sabah and Sarawak, Anwar said the government stands by its decision to provide larger development allocations, based on the geographical and infrastructural needs of both states.
Meanwhile, the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform), Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said, informed the Dewan Rakyat that several policy recommendations for the drafting of a Political Financing Bill will be presented to the Special Select Committee (SSC) in the near future.
She noted that this is to facilitate a review process and gather further feedback before the bill is finalised for consideration by the Cabinet.
In other developments, the Energy Commission is developing a comprehensive framework and set of guidelines concerning self-generation of electricity and the use of renewable energy for the data centre sector, according to Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Energy Transition and Water Transformation, Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof.
Issues concerning health, the environment, online safety, and the cost of living were also addressed in the Dewan Rakyat through question-and-answer sessions and during the winding-up of the 2027 Budget debate by the relevant ministers.
Minister of Health Datuk Seri Dr. Dzulkefly Ahmad announced that the ministry intends to introduce a “cottage hospital” concept in rural areas, in addition to expanding the outsourcing of hospital services across 16 areas by 2027 as part of an effort to strengthen public healthcare services.
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability will present a proposal to develop a drought action plan to the National Disaster Management Council, aiming to strengthen preparedness for weather-related impacts stemming from the El Niño phenomenon.
Meanwhile, the implementation of the BUDI Madani initiative is considered one of the nation’s successes in targeted subsidies designed to alleviate the cost-of-living burden on the public while curbing leakages in fuel subsidies. said Minister of Finance II Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan.
“This is one of the measures we have introduced to help the people reduce their cost-of-living burden, while simultaneously increasing their disposable income,” he said during his winding-up speech on the Supply Bill 2027 (Budget 2027) at the policy stage for the Ministry of Finance.
The Dewan Rakyat session is scheduled to run for 37 days, concluding on December 8. — Bernama
