LETTERS: The government has allocated RM36.14 billion to the Health Ministry, which represents 9.78 per cent of the 2023 Budget of RM388 billion.
Although the general expectation was for a much higher allocation, we must appreciate the fact that the country has a debt of almost RM1.5 trillion.
Under such circumstances, the prime minister is unable to allocate more funds to the ministry as he has to balance the interests of groups and citizenry.
What is important is for the ministry to prioritise and spend the funds on critical areas.
The ministry must also ensure that there are no leakages in procurement.
It is imperative that consumables are managed efficiently to avoid having excess inventory.
There must be prudent spending as we are dealing with taxpayers' money.
The ministry can carry out audits to determine ways to reduce costs.
ROSLAN SHARIF
Bangi, Selangor
The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of the New Straits Times