Malaysians welcome Budget aid, but seek long-term solutions to rising living costs

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysians expressed appreciation for the 2027 Budget measures aimed at alleviating financial pressures, but urged for sustained strategies to tackle rising living costs, employment issues and educational requirements. Full-time GrabFood courier Ahyar Amat, 35, noted the aid would alleviate the burden of escalating expenses, especially for private-sector employees and gig workers.

He expressed optimism about the measures, yet hoped for additional assistance for gig workers, whose incomes often fluctuate. Kweh Ci Yin, an SJKC teacher, stressed the necessity of more financial backing for upgrading school infrastructure and facilities, particularly classrooms designed for modern learning (PAK-21). Satisfied with the measures so far, she emphasized the need for ongoing support to enhance facilities.

Fresh graduate Karthigeswary Mageswaran, 23, highlighted that financial relief would aid young Malaysians in managing daily expenses like transport and rent. While acknowledging cost-of-living assistance and measures for National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) borrowers, she stressed the need for long-term solutions to ensure financial stability, including more jobs aligned with graduates' skills, such as in biotechnology and microbiology, and higher starting salaries.

Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) student Nurul Syahzanani Khairudin, 18, welcomed the RM200 early schooling assistance as it would help families with multiple school-aged children. The responses underscored a collective demand for the Budget to transcend immediate relief and address enduring concerns regarding income growth, employment prospects, education, and the escalating cost of living.