Govt Succeeds In Reducing New Debt
PUTRAJAYA, July 21 (Bernama) -- Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the government has succeeded in reducing the annual debt to RM77 billion in 2024 from RM99 billion in 2022.
This thus fulfills the commitment of more prudent fiscal management, and only the interest payments on old debts have not yet been reduced, he said.
'The new debt that the government has incurred (was) RM99 billion in 2022, dropping to RM93 billion in 2023 and in 2024 the total is RM77 billion... that is less.
"They say the total amount (of debt) is more, added with the old debt and the interest that we have to pay, but I said the government promised to reduce new debt, we have fulfilled that.
"But what is being spread around... we are increasing (the debt), so it is as if we are deceiving the people. If you look at these figures, who is deceiving?" he asked when speaking at the Prime Minister's Department monthly assembly here today.
Anwar, who is also the Finance Minister, said annual new debt had been successfully reduced in line with the reduction in the deficit, while giving the commitment that the government would reduce the fiscal deficit in stages and responsibly without affecting national development.
He said the government had reduced the country's fiscal deficit from 5.5 per cent in 2022 to 4.1 per cent in 2024, with a target of 3.8 per cent for this year.
He explained that the government has chosen a 'gradual' approach so that deficit reduction does not sacrifice development needs and market confidence.
Anwar said the move was in line with economic principles that emphasise financial discipline in the economic management of an entity, including the country.
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