ISKANDAR PUTERI: Johor's Budget 2022 has been passed after all 27 Opposition assemblymen abstained from voting on the state assembly sitting here on Sunday (Nov 28).

       On Thursday (Nov 18), Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Hasni Mohammad tabled the budget with a deficit of RM286.47mil for the second time in a row after Johor recorded a surplus budget for 10 consecutive years previously.

       The state government has allocated RM1.08bil for its operating expenditure while RM870mil is allocated for development expenditure.

       In his winding-up speech, Hasni expressed his confidence in Johor’s ability to recover from the pandemic and to further grow its economy.

       “The state government would continue to strengthen its efforts to turn Johor into desired investment destination. Johor’s strategic location would not be wasted,” said Hasni.

       “I am confident that Johor could be one of the earliest states to recover from the economic impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic,” he added at Bangunan Sultan Ismail here on Sunday (Nov 28).