Friday 29 Mar 2024
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KUALA LUMPUR (June 3): The education and health ministries will continue to be the largest recipients of operating expenditure in Budget 2023, said the Ministry of Finance (MoF) in a pre-budget statement.

This reflects the importance given to universal access to quality education and healthcare, with increased emphasis on educating talent to be future ready and focusing on preventative healthcare in the context of non-communicable diseases, the statement said. 

“A gender responsive budgeting approach will also be undertaken, recognising the differences in outcomes, thus requiring potentially customised approaches in areas such as welfare, health, safety, employment and entrepreneurship programmes,” it added.

MoF said the government will further strengthen its public health function, especially in disease surveillance and crisis preparedness in the future, in ensuring the country is able to overcome such crises without affecting the wellbeing of the people and the country's economy.

“The experience of the Covid-19 crisis and 2021 floods demonstrated the importance of a whole of nation approach, where among others, private sector healthcare capacity was utilised to complement public healthcare and in delivering flood relief,” the ministry said.

Hence, Budget 2023 will continue to explore areas to strengthen public-private collaboration in the delivery of public services including exploring alternative service delivery mechanisms leveraging on non-governmental organisations and civil society to support delivery of social programmes, said MoF.

“Measures will be put in place to develop proper integrated early warning systems, as well as the implementation of flood mitigation projects in high-risk areas. Attention will also be given to strengthen the government’s early response measures and coordination whenever Malaysia is faced with these disasters,” it said.

Edited ByS Kanagaraju
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