MOF becomes intermediary to avoid decisions made in a silo

PUTRAJAYA: The Ministry of Finance (MoF) is now playing an important role in every planning made by other ministries to avoid decisions being made in a silo and other implications on them.
Second Finance Minister Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani said acting as an intermediary between the ministries and the Cabinet, as well as, the National Economic Council, the MoF would be able to anticipate the impact arising from each proposal put forward.
"The MoF is no longer just a gatekeeper but should be able to anticipate and to sense what will happen (if a proposal is put forth) and see whether it contradicts other ministries," he said in his speech at the Budget Appreciation Night here tonight.
Johari said this was done to help prevent any proposal or suggestion made that might look good for a particular ministry, but would in fact affect other ministries badly.
"I have also taken the initiative by calling other ministers and secretary-generals of other ministries for discussions even though the issues at hand might not be relevant to the MoF.
"This is to ensure that they (the proposals) will not be in conflict with other ministries before the matters are brought to the National Economic Council and the Cabinet.
"It is a tedious work, but I thanked the other ministers who appreciated the efforts made ... this is to avoid the government from making decisions in silo for the benefit of only one ministry," he said. — Bernama