pic by HUSSEIN SHAHARUDDIN

THE government has issued bonds worth a total of RM81.3 billion for the first six months of the year, Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng (picture) said in a parliamentary written reply on Tuesday.

The amount includes RM31 billion raised via Malaysian Government Securities, RM36 billion from Malaysian Government Investment Issue, RM6.5 billion from Treasury Bills and RM7.8 billion through external borrowings which comprise the issuance of a 10-year Samurai bond in March.

Proceeds from the bond sales will be used to refinance matured debts worth RM23.2 billion and finance the government’s RM22.4 billion fiscal deficit, Lim said.

The balance amounting to RM35.7 billion is used to refinance maturing debts for the period of June to December and the fiscal deficit in the second-half of this year.

Lim was responding to a question by Datuk Alexander Nanta Linggi (GPS-Kapit), who asked the minister to state the number of bonds issued since Pakatan Harapan took over the federal administration.

He said the issuance of the bonds is in line with financial regulations set out in the Loan (Local) Act 1959, the Government Funding Act 1983 and the External Loans Act 1963, which stipulate that government loans can only be made to finance development expenses and refinance mature debts.