The total budget allocation of RM260.8 billion is 3.4 per cent higher than the recalibrated 2016 Budget.
The following are the highlights of the 2017 Budget:
– Budget 2017 allocates RM260.8 billion, an increase of 3.4 per cent from the 2016 Budget Recalibration
– RM214.8 billion for operating expenditure and RM46 billion for development expenditure.
– A total of RM2.9 billion has been allocated to empower the bumiputra community including Sabah and Sarawak from September 2009 to August this year.
– No increase in GST for 2017.
– As of Oct 19, government has collected a total of RM30 billion in GST.
– Under development expenditure, economic sector receives highest share of RM25.9 billion, social sector (RM12.2 billion), security (RM5.3 billion).
– Revenue collection is expected to expand at 3 per cent to RM219.7 billion.
– Government is expected to achieve the fiscal deficit target of 3 per cent of GDP in 2017.
– Malaysia’s Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) has increased from US$23,100 in 2012 to US$26,891 in 2015.
– Approved FDI in the first half of 2016 was more than RM28 billion, 32 per cent higher compared to the first half of last year.
– Fully paid study leave with scholarship for civil servants in support group.
– Quarantine leave up to 5 days without record to public servants whose children are ill and required to be quarantined.
– Public servants’ housing loans eligibility to be increased to between RM200,000 and RM750,000.
– 5,000 units of MyBeautiful New Home scheme under NBOS for B40 group with allocation of RM200 million; government finance RM20,000, remaining will be paid as instalments by owner.
– 616km of village roads and bridges will be built and upgraded with RM1.2 billion to enhance connectivity of villages, towns and cities.
– RM4.6 billion allocated to all states under the Malaysian Road Records Information System (MARRIS) to maintain state roads.
– 69 flood mitigation plans to be continued nationwide with RM495 million allocation.
– For households in e-Kasih database earning below RM3,000 a month, BR1M will be increased from RM1,050 and RM1,000 to RM1,200.
– For households earning between RM3,000 and RM4,000 a month, BR1M will be increased from RM800 to RM900.
– For single individuals earning below RM2,000 a month, BR1M will be increased from RM400 to RM450.
– BR1M recipients in B40 group will be encouraged to participate as ride-sharing drivers (such as Uber drivers).
– Total BR1M allocation of RM6.8 billion will benefit some seven million people in the country.
– Rate of stamp duty on instrument of transfer of real estate worth more than RM1 million will be increased from 3 per cent to 4 per cent effective Jan 2018.
– The government is targeting 30.5 million tourists this year; a total of 13 million tourists had visited the country as at end-June.
– RM400 million allocation proposed for tourism, including clean air and ecotourism initiatives.
– RM1.2 billion allocated for sports, including RM450 million for hosting 29th SEA Games and 9th Para Asean Games in 2017.
– RM1.3 billion earmarked to increase food production at competitive prices.
– RM2.1 billion allocation for five economic corridors, namely Iskandar Malaysia, NCER, ECER, SDC and SCORE.
– RM275 million proposed to improve people’s income opportunities, especially for the B40 group.
– Nearly RM10 billion provided to ease the cost of living, including cooking gas subsidies; toll charges and public transport.
– Lifestyle tax relief up to RM2,500 from 2017 will include purchase of printed newspapers, smartphones and tablets, internet subscriptions and gym membership.
– GLCs will allocate RM3 billion special fund to fund managers under Securities Commission to invest in potential small and mid-cap companies.
– Effective January 2017, fixed line broadband service providers will offer services at a higher speed for the same price.
– MCMC to provide RM1 billion to ensure coverage, quality of broadband nationwide reaches up to 20 megabytes per second.
– Government to introduce the first Digital Free Zone in the world.
– RM75 million to be allocated to promote SME development.
– Implementation of East Coast Rail Line between Klang Valley and the East Coast is estimated to cost RM55 billion.
– 10 more new ETS train sets will be purchased in stages up to 2019, with an overall allocation of RM1.1 billion.
– Government to build about 10,000 houses in urban areas for rental to eligible youths with permanent jobs, including young graduates.
– Four more UTC in Negeri Sembilan, Perlis, Penang and Selangor, and three more RTC in Selangor, Sabah and Sarawak will be built with an allocation of RM100 million.
– 15 per cent discount on the outstanding debt for full settlement of PTPTN loans.
– 10 percent discount for payments of at least 50 per cent of the outstanding PTPTN debts in a single payment, as well as repayment through salary deduction or direct debit.
[Source]– SinChew
