PUTRAJAYA, Oct 13 — The government has the capacity to provide greater benefits to the people through Budget 2026 without increasing taxes, thanks to savings from improved governance and efforts to curb leakages over the past two years.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the government is aware that higher taxes would burden the people, which is why his administration has focused on enhancing efficiency and addressing leakages as its key principles.
“So before we even think about raising taxes, which may burden the people, we must first correct the weaknesses within our own administration.
“We must reflect on our work and the systems we inherited and are now managing. Are they efficient? Are we effectively controlling leakages, corruption or smuggling?” he said during a gathering with staff of the Prime Minister’s Department here today.
Also present were Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories) Datuk Seri Dr Zaliha Mustafa, Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar and Public Service Department director-general Datuk Seri Wan Ahmad Dahlan Abdul Aziz. — Bernama
