KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 7 — Measures announced in Budget 2023 will remain doubtful so long as the prime minister will not end speculation that Parliament could be dissolved before its passage, a Pakatan Harapan lawmaker insisted today.

PH vice president Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayub claimed the promised measures would be viewed as bait for votes until Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob commits to not calling for a general election this year and focus on preparing Malaysia for predicted floods.

“So, this Budget is meaningless if Parliament is dissolved next week. Will the prime minister stop speculation about the dissolution of Parliament?

“I think we can consider it as goodies for this coming election, but will rakyat benefit from this Budget? That is debatable,” he told reporters after exiting the Dewan Rakyat.

Separately, PKR lawmaker Datuk Seri Shamsul Iskandar Akin questioned how the government planned to keep funding the deficit spending.

He expressed concern that this could be in the form of new taxes.

Earlier today, Finance Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz tabled a RM373.3 billion Budget 2023 this evening, the largest ever in the history of the country.