The absence of an executive council in Negeri Sembilan could put the state’s 2027 budget process in limbo, said state DAP chairman J Arul Kumar.
Arul, who is also the Nilai assemblyman, said the biggest concern was what would happen when the budget reached the stage requiring executive council approval.
“How are you going to approve the budget and bring it to the state assembly without an exco meeting?
“If there is no approved budget, how are you going to pay salaries, utilities and other expenditure?” asked Arul, who served as a state exco member from 2018 to 2026.
No executive council since September
Negeri Sembilan has been without an executive council since Sept 20, after all 10 councillors were removed from office for breaching their oath of office.
The dismissal followed a statement they issued five days earlier endorsing a declaration seeking to remove Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir as Yang di-Pertuan Besar.
Arul said Menteri Besar Ismail Lasim could not simply assume the executive council’s role in approving the state budget or other matters, except during an emergency.
Negeri Sembilan approved a RM640 million budget for 2026 on Dec 5 last year, including RM150 million for development expenditure.
Budget preparations usually begin months earlier
Arul said preparations for the annual budget would normally begin in May or June of the preceding year, when state departments submit their spending estimates.
By September, the process would usually involve discussions between the menteri besar, exco members and department heads.
“There is normally an exco retreat where we discuss what initiatives we want to introduce the following year,” he said, adding that no such retreat had been held this year.
Arul said state departments might still be able to prepare their spending estimates, but the final budget would still have to be considered and endorsed by the executive council.
He said the process was similar to the federal level, where the Cabinet considers the budget before it is tabled in Parliament.
Exco approval needed before tabling
“The exco must agree on the budget. The menteri besar then tables it in the state assembly, seconded by an exco member. The assembly decides on the expenditure,” he said.
