Lim Guan Eng calls Budget 2027 Anwar’s ‘most reform-minded’ yet

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 9 — DAP adviser Lim Guan Eng has hailed Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's fifth Madani Budget as the "most reform-minded" yet. Lim, who also represents Bagan, highlighted expanding the social safety net to gig workers, persons with disabilities and senior citizens, along with more inclusive funding allocations and adjustments to personal income tax rates.

These initial budgetary reforms, according to Lim, indicate a hopeful future for substantial and meaningful reforms to come, which will help address the cost of living increases, foster sustainable economic growth for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), and generate prosperity for all Malaysian households. Lim emphasized the need for further action, specifically by allocating 10% of total Bumiputera allocations to non-Bumiputera communities, without diminishing existing Bumiputera funding.

This proposed allocation, he argued, would ensure a fairer and more equitable distribution of taxpayers' money to non-Bumiputera communities, which previous governments had overlooked. Earlier, Anwar presented the Supply Bill (Budget) 2027 in the Dewan Rakyat, detailing the government's spending plans and trajectory for the year 2027.

The budget, titled "Malaysia Madani: Menggapai di Langit, Mengakar di Bumi (Reaching for the Sky, Rooted in the Ground)," is the second under the 13th Malaysia Plan (RMK13), serving as the national development framework for the 2026-2030 period.