Arya News - The initiatives include higher fuel subsidy eligibility, support for small businesses, school maintenance funds, and expanded digital healthcare.
PUTRAJAYA – Six immediate measures for Malaysians, including a higher fuel subsidy eligibility, will take effect tomorrow to address the people’s concerns, particularly on cost of living, says Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Other initiatives announced by the Prime Minister include support for small businesses, school maintenance funds, and expanded digital healthcare.
He said the initiatives cover schoolchildren, young people, and small and medium-sized businesses.
“On the eve of National Day, I wish to announce six immediate initiatives for all Malaysians,” he said in his National Day 2026 address at the Putrajaya Inter-national Convention Centre.
The first measure will restore basic Budi95 eligibility from 200 litres to 300 litres a month.
Anwar said this would allow more than 16 million users to enjoy subsidised RON95 for up to 300 litres monthly.
The Prime Minister also announced that more than half a million eligible owners of diesel-powered pick-up trucks and Jeeps will receive Budi Diesel for up to 400 litres a month.
For education, Anwar said the government will increase maintenance allocations for all types of schools by 50% next year, from RM1bil to RM1.5bil.
“The allocation will cover national schools, Chinese and Tamil vernacular schools, religious schools, tahfiz institutions, pondok schools and special education facilities,” he said.
He said the Education Ministry had also been directed to examine school infrastructure repair applications in every district so that maintenance work can begin as early as January 2027.
Under the third initiative, the AI For Rakyat programme will be opened to Malaysians aged between 18 and 30, Anwar said.
“A total of 100,000 youths who complete the required modules will receive free three-month subscriptions to selected artificial intelligence applications, including locally developed IlmuChat, Google’s Gemini Enterprise, as well as China’s Wonderclip and MuleRun,” he said.
He also announced that the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission will provide RM1bil to strengthen the public healthcare sector’s digital capacity.
The funds, he said, will go towards implementing electronic medical record systems and improving Internet connectivity at 150 hospitals and more than 2,000 public health clinics.
“The government will also raise the e-Invoice exemption threshold from RM1mil to RM3mil in annual sales, meaning businesses earning no more than RM3mil a year will not be required to implement e-Invoicing,” he said.
Anwar added that the government will also add RM1bil in microfinancing facilities, raising the total allocation for 2026 from RM5bil to RM6bil.
A separate RM200mil Geran Sejahtera Madani will also be introduced to assist hawkers, small traders, night-market traders and mothers operating businesses from home.
Anwar also said funds recovered from illegal proceeds through the courts and due legal process would be returned to the people, particularly through education and healthcare.
He said billions of ringgit linked to corruption, abuse of power and other wrongdoing had already been recovered.
“Today, I declare that all funds recovered from illegal proceeds through the legal process and decisions of the judiciary, all of which amount to billions of ringgit, will be returned to the people, especially in the areas of education and healthcare,” he said.
Every citizen, regardless of race, is a Malaysian who needs to be given due attention and protection, he emphasised.
He also called on Malaysians to use the National Day celebration as an opportunity to strengthen consensus, unite energy and efforts, and guarantee the future of the country together.
Anwar added that Malaysia is capable of lifting its dignity to glorious heights with the strength and spirit of the people.
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