Finance Minister Ericah Shafudah has ruled out any immediate increase to the national budget, stating that the government will only review allocations once there is clearer evidence of economic growth.

Delivering her reply to the Appropriation Bill in the National Assembly, Shafudah thanked members of parliament for their contributions during both the budget debate and committee stage, noting that their inputs had been grouped into technical and political issues.

She said the government would examine the technical matters raised, while political proposals would require further consideration.

The Minister emphasised that the budget was prepared under difficult conditions, pointing to the current global economic environment as a key constraint.

She cautioned against committing to additional spending during the upcoming midyear budget review, saying the government cannot allocate funds that are not yet available.

“We do not want to commit to money that we do not have," she said.

Shafudah explained that the mid-year review, scheduled for October, should be treated as a reassessment based on actual economic performance rather than an opportunity for automatic increases.

She added that any adjustments to the budget would depend on whether economic growth exceeds expectations.

The Appropriation Bill has now passed the committee stage in the National Assembly and will be referred to the National Council for further consideration.