AS anticipated, Dewan Rakyat unanimously approved Budget 2022 without much fuss today.

This was expected as the main opposition bloc Pakatan Harapan (PH) had already signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s administration on September 13.

Among the terms were PH’s support for government bills after due consultation in exchange for certain parliamentary and legal reforms as well as equal constituency funds.

As such, after more than six weeks of debate at the policy and committee stages, the RM332.1 billion budget for next year was approved at 6.58pm after Dewan Rakyat passed the last two ministry budgets today.

The policy stage or Second Reading of the bill was approved on November 18.

Passed today at the committee stage were the budgets for the Education Ministry (RM52.6 billion) and the Higher Education Ministry (RM14.47 billion).

The Supply Bill 2022 will now be sent to Dewan Negara, which began meeting today, for debate and approval.

Dewan Rakyat will continue tomorrow with other government bills, including the constitutional amendments to restore Sabah’s and Sarawak’s positions. – December 13, 2021.