KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said the 2019 Budget tabled yesterday covered every sector in detail without stretching the country’s financial capabilities.
He said the budget took into account provisions for women, youth, mosques and other religious buildings, Bumiputera rights as well as the rights of Sabah and Sarawak.
“We try to meet the aspirations of the people while at the same time our budget spending is not more than our income.
“We are very careful, we spend only on what we can, if we don’t have the money then we will not spend any,” he told reporters yesterday.
When asked on the allocation for the Education Ministry, the recipient of the largest allocation of RM60.2 billion or 19.1 percent of the total government expenditure, Dr Mahathir said it was because education was very important for the people and the country.
“I wanted to be Minister of Education, they did not allow me, but still we need to educate our people because the knowledge field has changed considerably. Nowadays you have to learn more things, not like before,” he said.
In the meantime, the Prime Minister said Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng had an important task to provide information and clarification in detail on measures taken by the government via the 2019 Budget, especially on market forces. – Bernama
