DEWAN Rakyat has approved the RM332.1 billion Supply Bill 2022 at the policy stage by voice vote without any amendments.

At 5.23pm, the budget for 2022 was passed with a voice vote although Warisan Sabah attempted to call for division voting.

But as Warisan only has eight MPs and did not get the minimum 15 MPs needed for division voting, their request was denied

With the budget now approved at the policy stage, committee stage debate will commence on November 22.

During the committee stage, MPs will be allowed to scrutinise the budget for each ministry in detail. Each will be voted on again before the budget is tabled for the final approval or Third Reading.

Although there were some complaints about it, Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s first budget was passed as the biggest opposition bloc, Pakatan Harapan (PH) had already signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the government.

Just a month into his administration, Ismail inked a MoU with PH to obtain political stability in exchange for a series of reforms.

Ismail is currently backed by 114 MPs in the 220-member Dewan Rakyat following the deaths of Batu Sapi and Grik lawmakers Liew Vui Keong and Hasbullah Osman. – November 18, 2021.