THE government may introduce a fiscal stimulus package similar to the RM60 billion "mini budget" used to tackle the economic downturn in 2009, said analysts.

The new measures are likely to be included in the 11th Malaysia Plan that will be announced in the middle of next year, they added.

"The new plan may be incorporated in the upcoming 11th Malaysia Plan (2016-2020)," JF Apex head of research Lee Chung Cheng said in response to Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Abdul Wahid Omar's announcement that the government may introduce new measures to boost its coffers and optimise expenditure to meet the three per cent fiscal deficit target for next year.

In 2009, then deputy prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak tabled the RM60 billion "mini budget" as part of the second economic stimulus package to cushion the impact of the global economic crisis. The first economic stimulus package of RM7 billion was tabled on November 4 2008.

Under the second package, which was implemented over 2009 and 2010, as much as RM15 billion was allocated for fiscal injection, RM25 billion for guarantee funds, RM10 billion for equity investments, RM7 billion for private finance initiatives and off-budget projects and RM3 billion for tax incentives.

This time around, analysts are expecting the new measures to include revenue obtained via new sources such as the tourism sector as goods and services become cheaper due to the weakening of the ringgit.

"The local currency depreciation also plays a big role in raising government revenue. As our ringgit gets cheaper, our goods and services are also cheaper relative to other countries.

So, the stimulus plan should be able to capitalise on this factor to gain most of its potential," said another analyst.

The ringgit has depreciated by some five per cent against the greenback, closing 3.49 per US dollar yesterday.