PUTRAJAYA: The Home Affairs Ministry will focus on enhancing the assets and welfare of security forces in the 2025 Budget, said Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.
In a press conference following the 2025 Budget engagement session with stakeholders today, he stated that improving the assets for agencies such as the Royal Malaysia Police and the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency remains a key priority each year.
He also emphasised that the welfare of personnel under the ministry is a priority, as it will boost the morale and motivation of those working in the field.
"My focus is on welfare in this year's budget, continuing from last year. Last year, we successfully restored nearly 151 General Operations Force front-line posts.
"We managed to repair several quarters using an allocation of around RM300 million, and also addressed housing issues for the Eastern Sabah Security Command in East Sabah," he said.
The 2025 Budget, themed "Ekonomi Madani, Negara Makmur, Rakyat Sejahtera" will be tabled in Dewan Rakyat on Oct 18.
Saifuddin Nasution said that special attention will also be given to the Border Control and Protection Agency (MCBA), a new agency under the ministry's purview.
"As a new agency, we need to design a budget that aligns with its operations in the first phase, which has been underway since May.
"We will focus on strengthening the MCBA so that the first year will see at least the completion of staffing and asset capabilities," he said.
He said several entry points into the country will serve as pilot projects for the agency, including locations in Johor, the Kuala Lumpur International Airport, Penang, and Kota Kinabalu, Sabah.
"Tomorrow, I will be with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in Rantau Panjang-Golok, one of the entry points included in the MCBA pilot project.
Anwar and his Thai counterpart, Srettha Thavisin, will undertake a working visit to Sungai Golok, Thailand, and Rantau Panjang, Malaysia, to assess the progress of the Rantau Panjang-Sungai Golok bridge upgrade project.
In a statement today, the Foreign Ministry said the project is one of the key initiatives in enhancing border connectivity between the two countries. -- Bernama