DEWAN Rakyat this week passed the operating expenditure for another eight ministries at the committee level.

It involved the following ministries: health; housing and local government; international trade and industry; works; communications and multimedia; women, family and community development; defence and home.

So far, the estimated operating expenditure for 24 ministries and five agencies under the Prime Minister’s Department had been approved at the committee level, while the debate and winding up of the Supply Bill 2022 (Budget 2022) at the committee level for another two ministries – education and higher education – are scheduled for this Monday.

According to the Dewan Rakyat calendar, the debate and winding-up session of Budget 2022 is scheduled to last until Monday. The bill was passed at the policy level on November 18.

This week the Dewan Rakyat also discussed the rising prices of basic necessities, with opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim asking on the immediate action and measures to be taken by the Cost of Living Action Council to address the current crisis.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Economy) Mustapa Mohamed, in response to the question by Anwar, said Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob had instructed all ministries to take immediate action to address related issues according to their areas of responsibility.

Mustapa said medium- and long-term actions were also tabled by the relevant ministries at the Cost of Living Action Council meeting chaired by the prime minister yesterday.

Another highlight at this week’s sitting was the ban on chariot processions during Thaipusam and Chingay, which received various feedbacks from members of the house, including opposition MP R.S.N. Rayer, leading him to submit a motion to the Dewan Rakyat for a debate on the matter.

The appointment of Wan Izzana Fatimah Zabedah Mohamad Salleh as a non-executive board member of the Malaysian Digital Economic Corporation was also raised by several opposition MPs during the debate session on the budget at the committee level for the Communications and Multimedia Ministry.

Minister Annuar Musa, when clarifying the matter, said the Finance Ministry had decided on the appointment of Wan Izzana, who is the daughter of former women, family and community development minister Shahrizat Abdul Jalil, according to existing rules, based on her track record and experience.

Apart from that, the Dewan Rakyat was also informed that the decision to use the Single Wholesale Network for the rollout of the 5G network was in progress, and negotiations between Digital Nasional Bhd and the telecommunications company were being handled by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission. – Bernama, December 10, 2021.