Senator warns early Parliament dissolution could derail Budget 2027 and force temporary spending, citing 2022 precedent

Senator Datuk Ahmad Ibrahim said calls for an early dissolution of the Dewan Rakyat are ill-timed as Budget 2027 has yet to complete the parliamentary approval process. — The Borneo Post pic

First Published: Sunday, 15 Nov 2026 7:20 PM MYT

KUCHING, Nov 15 — Calls for an early dissolution of the Dewan Rakyat are ill-timed as Budget 2027 has yet to complete the parliamentary approval process, said Senator Datuk Ahmad Ibrahim.

He said dissolving Parliament before the Budget was passed could disrupt the government’s financial planning and delay funding for development projects, infrastructure programmes and other public commitments.

Ahmad said that while the Prime Minister could seek the dissolution of Parliament under the Federal Constitution, subject to the discretion of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, the timing of such a move should be carefully considered.

“My concern is not about whether Parliament can be dissolved, but whether this is the appropriate time to do so,” he said in a statement.

Ahmad, who chairs the Senate Select Committee on National Defence and Security, pointed out that Budget 2027, involving hundreds of billions of ringgit in government expenditure, was still undergoing parliamentary scrutiny.

The Dewan Rakyat is scheduled to complete its committee-stage deliberations on November 26, while the Dewan Negara will begin its deliberations on November 30.

Ahmad said the legislative process should be allowed to run its course, warning that dissolving Parliament before the Supply Bill completes the approval process could result in it lapsing.

“This would require a new government and Parliament to reintroduce and approve the Budget, potentially delaying financial authorisations needed to sustain government operations and implement planned programmes.

“Although temporary expenditure arrangements could be made under constitutional provisions, these would still require further legislative action,” he said.

He cited the October 2022 dissolution of Parliament, which took place just three days after Budget 2023 was tabled.

Following the formation of a new government, Parliament had to approve about RM107.7 billion in temporary operating expenditure in December 2022 to ensure that government operations could continue pending approval of the full Budget.

“Why unnecessarily risk repeating such complications?”

Ahmad said Malaysia was already facing an increasingly uncertain global environment, marked by geopolitical tensions, economic instability, employment concerns, food security issues and the rising cost of living.

“The last thing we need is additional uncertainty surrounding our national financial planning,” he said. — The Borneo Post