PUTRAJAYA: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has warned civil servants against bureaucratic delays, saying the success of the 2027 Budget 2027 hinges on effective implementation rather than policy announcements alone.
Anwar, who is also the finance minister, said civil servants must ensure government initiatives were implemented efficiently, particularly as the government had introduced wage increases, lower petrol prices and other measures to ease the people's burden.
"If wages have increased, petrol prices have come down, and the economy is in this position, yet we remain ungrateful, work is still sluggish and slow, and a letter that could be answered in one day takes two weeks, that is asking for trouble for the country," he said at the Finance Ministry's monthly assembly here today.
Anwar said the real test of the 2027 Budget was not the policies announced or frameworks outlined, but the government's ability to translate them into tangible results.
Anwar said the government had begun implementing several initiatives announced under the Budget, demonstrating its commitment to delivering benefits to the people without unnecessary delays.
These included the opening of registration for housing at Bandar Madani Bukit Jalil on Oct 12, just days after the Budget was tabled.
He also cited the RM1,000 assistance for taxi drivers, funded through proceeds from the sale of special vehicle registration numbers, although the Budget had yet to be passed by parliament.
Other initiatives include the development of 10,000 student accommodation units at Universiti Malaya, Anwar said he asked Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) to expedite the necessary approvals.
He said the chief secretary to the government was expected to convene a meeting with ministry secretaries-general and directors-general to monitor the implementation of government initiatives.
"A Budget can be drawn up, but the challenge lies in its implementation," he said, adding that government efforts must focus on preventing leakages, corruption and delays in programme delivery.
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd