KUALA LUMPUR: Budget 2022 to be tabled by the government later this year will focus on helping the people, especially in tackling the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, said Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

"If we have the money, we will use hundreds of billions even to assist the people and that will come, InsyaAllah," he said in a "Special Discussion on the Challenges of COVID-19 with the Prime Minister" broadcast over RTM and Bernama TV tonight.

Muhyiddin said the government had currently implemented various initiatives to help all affected vulnerable groups following the pandemic.

"Assistance continues to be given so that the effects of the pandemic and tighter control imposed will not have a significant impact until people have to live in difficult conditions, (become) paupers... I don't like to hear that.

"As Prime Minister, I feel sad and that is why we try to help as much as we can and are capable of," he said.

-- BERNAMA