Zafrul Now Says 22 Special Draws Were Cabinet Decision

Former Finance Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz has rejected claims that he was personally responsible for increasing Malaysia’s special forecast number draws to 22 times a year, saying the decision was collectively made by the previous Cabinet. He stressed that the Cabinet at the time included PAS ministers and that the 22-draw ceiling already existed before he became Finance Minister.

22 Special Draws

Tengku Zafrul explained that special draws were introduced in 1999, while the 22-times-a-year ceiling was already in place during the Barisan Nasional administration. During the Covid-19 pandemic, the government returned to that existing ceiling, with the matter also communicated to Parliament through an official reply.

He said the issue had resurfaced following renewed debate over why the number of draws was increased during the pandemic, but stressed that he did not want to prolong a political controversy that could distract from the government’s development agenda. Under the current Madani Government, special draws were reduced to eight times annually after Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim took office in December 2022. 

Tengku Zafrul says the decision to allow up to 22 special draws was a collective Cabinet responsibility, not his personal decision.

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