Dewan Rakyat Approves 2026 Budget For Seven More Ministries This Week

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 28 (Bernama) -- The Dewan Rakyat this week approved the 2026 Budget at the committee level for seven more ministries, namely Communications, Digital, Human Resources, Home Affairs, Defence, Higher Education, and Women, Family and Community Development.

To date, allocations for 26 ministries and the Prime Minister’s Department have been passed. The debate for the Investment, Trade and Industry Ministry has been rescheduled to Monday.

Under the original sitting calendar, committee-level debates on the 2026 Budget run from Nov 5 to 27.

Key issues highlighted throughout the week included the government’s push to eradicate hardcore poverty, impending artificial intelligence (AI) legislation, bullying concerns, the rollout of the Next Generation Malaysian Emergency Response Services 999 (NG MERS 999), and calls to reassess the expanded scope of the Sales and Services Tax.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said announced that the Anti-Bullying Bill will be tabled for first reading on Dec 1.

Meanwhile, Deputy Communications Minister Teo Nie Ching said emergency calls received since NG MERS 999 launched on Nov 15 have surged but remain manageable.

She noted that 95 per cent of calls are answered and processed within eight seconds, an improvement over the previous MERS 999 system.

Floods in several states and neighbouring countries also dominated attention. Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan said more than 700 Malaysians had been evacuated from Hat Yai to Bukit Kayu Hitam, Kedah, while about 500 remain stranded as rescue efforts continue.

In a show of solidarity for the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, most MPs wore orange on Tuesday, following guidance from Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul.

The week also saw heated exchanges between government and opposition MPs. Datuk Awang Hashim (PN-Pendang) and Mohd Sany Hamzan (PH-Hulu Langat) were ordered out of the chamber on Tuesday for disrupting proceedings.

Also tabled this week was the first reading of the National Film Development Corporation (Amendment) Bill 2025, aimed at expanding the corporation’s powers.

The Third Meeting of the Fourth Session of the 15th Parliament runs for 35 days until Dec 4, with the Senate convening on Dec 1.

-- BERNAMA