Budget 2025 reflects government's inclusiveness and concern – Zahid

KUALA LUMPUR - Budget 2025 reflects the government's inclusiveness and concern for rural communities, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

Zahid, who is also the Rural and Regional Development Minister, said the ministry has been allocated an additional RM457 million, bringing the total allocation to RM11.9 billion, the largest it has received so far.

"This reflects the concern of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. The rural population as a whole is 8.1 million people and this inclusiveness shows that rural communities are not being left behind," he said at a press conference after the presentation of Budget 2025 in the Dewan Rakyat today.

Anwar, who is also the Finance Minister, presented Budget 2025 with an allocation of RM421 billion, the largest in history.

Anwar said the government continues to maintain an expansionary budget, with RM335 billion for operating expenses and RM86 billion for development, excluding RM2 billion in contingency reserves.

In terms of basic infrastructure in rural areas, Zahid said RM2.9 billion has been allocated to enhance the comfort of the people, in addition to continuing bridge construction and repair projects as well as the installation and maintenance of village street lights, with more than RM350 million allocated.

"Similarly, allocations for water supply, electricity and rural infrastructure have seen a significant increase," he added.

Budget 2025 also increased allocations to the Rubber Industry Smallholders Development Authority (Risda), the Federal Land Development Authority (Felda), and the Federal Land Consolidation and Rehabilitation Authority (Felcra) to RM2.6 billion.

For Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), Zahid, who is also the TVET Committee chairman, welcomed the increase in allocation to RM7.5 billion in 2025 compared to RM6.8 billion this year.

Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof, in a press conference, said Budget 2025 also focuses on development allocations for Sabah and Sarawak, which received the highest among states with RM6.7 billion and RM5.9 billion, respectively.

"The infrastructure of Sabah and Sarawak has also been given attention to close the gap in physical development between Sabah, Sarawak, and Peninsular Malaysia," he said.

Fadillah, who is also the Energy Transition and Water Transformation Minister, said the ministry received a total allocation of RM4.95 billion, comprising RM362.67 million for operating expenses and RM4.59 billion for development expenditures.

"The focus is on flood mitigation programmes, with the government having completed eight Flood Mitigation Projects (RTB) worth RM540 million while 12 RTBs costing RM3 billion were issued Letters of Acceptance (SST) in 2024 and are progressing on schedule," he said. - BERNAMA