Govt launches 5-year plan with 429 measures to ease cost of living

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has unveiled the National Cost of Living Action Plan 2030 (NCLAP30), a five-year strategy encompassing 429 measures across 35 distinct approaches to alleviate rising living costs and enhance citizens' well-being. Domestic trade and cost of living minister Armizan Mohd Ali stated that the primary objectives of the plan are to boost people's income and stabilize the prices of essential goods and services.

The NCLAP30 comprises eight strategic clusters, namely income, food, health, education, transport, housing, utilities, and general matters. It serves as a comprehensive framework for coordinating cost-of-living initiatives across various ministries and government agencies, employing a whole-of-nation approach.

Armillan revealed that the plan will build upon existing initiatives and introduce new measures to tackle the cost of living crisis. The implementation of the plan will require collaboration with the private sector, non-governmental organizations, and the public. Armizan emphasized that the National Cost of Living Action Council (Naccol) has been granted a broader mandate to monitor the execution of cost-of-living measures across different governmental bodies.

Previously, the council was concerned with identifying and addressing new initiatives and issues related to cost living, but now its responsibilities also encompass the oversight of the plan's implementation.

Armizan assured that the NCLAP30 is designed to be flexible and adaptable in response to both domestic challenges and global geopolitical and geoeconomic uncertainties. He stressed that the success of the plan relies heavily on cooperation from the private sector, NGOs, and the public, as their contributions would be vital in ensuring that the initiatives benefit the people effectively and efficiently.