Budget 2023: PM still speaking in riddles

PUTRAJAYA - Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob continues to speak in riddles on whether the 2023 Budget will continue to be tabled as scheduled or not.

He said many speculations were made in connection with the 2023 Budget and the answers would be known tomorrow.

"Wait for tomorrow, If I say it today, there will no longer be suspense," he said.

Ismail Sabri said he realised that there were many speculations regarding the presentation of budget.

"Some say we are tabling it, some say we are not, hence it is better if the speculation continue until tomorrow then we will know the answer,” he said.

On Tuesday, a Finance Ministry (MoF) spokesman confirmed the Budget 2023 would continue to be held on Friday even though there were speculations that Ismail Sabri would have an audience with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to apply for the dissolution of Parliament before Friday.

Speaking about his visit at MoF, Ismail Sabri said it was a sign of thank you to the ministry staffs who worked hard to prepare and complete the papers to be tabled.

"I understand that most of them slept at the office for three weeks to prepare the budget.

"Hence, I came to meet them myself and thank them for their efforts," he said.

Ismail Sabri arrived at MoF at 12.13pm and was welcomed by Finance Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz, Deputy Finance I Minister Datuk Mohd Shahar Abdullah as well as Deputy Finance II Minister Datuk Yamani Hafez Musa other than senior officials of the ministry.