President Mahinda Rajapaksa on Wednesday said foreign direct investment into the country has already exceeded a record $1 billion this year.

“For the first time, foreign direct investments into this country have exceeded $1,000 million,” President Rajapaksa, who is also the Minister of Finance and Planning, told the Parliament when he participated in the 2012 final budget vote, reports Reuters.

The Budget was passed in Parliament today (Dec. 21) with 158 MPs voting for and 60 voting against.