Middle-income squeeze, B40 university housing shortages to be raised in Parliament

In today's Dewan Rakyat sitting, lawmakers plan to address concerns over the financial pressures faced by middle-income households and the scarcity of residential college places for students from low-income families. Datuk Seri Jalaluddin Alias from the Barisan Nasional-Jelebu constituency will inquire with the Economy Minister about the assessment of the actual middle-income group, whose members may not qualify for aid despite experiencing rising expenses in housing, education, healthcare, and family costs.

Meanwhile, Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail from the Pakatan Harapan-Bandar Tun Razak constituency will question the Higher Education Minister about measures to tackle the shortage of residential college places at public higher education institutions, especially for B40 low-income group students. The session will also delve into the delays in Syariah Court proceedings, with Zulkifli Ismail from the Pakatan Nasional-Jasin constituency seeking information from the Prime Minister on measures to resolve longstanding cases, particularly maintenance and child-related claims.

Separately, Datuk Shamshulkahar Mohd Deli from the Barisan Nasional-Jempol constituency will ask the Plantation and Commodities Minister about strategies to bolster downstream commodity industries, raise the value of local products, lessen reliance on raw material exports, and boost income opportunities for smallholders. After the question-and-answer session, the Dewan Rakyat will proceed with the winding-up debate at the policy stage of the Supply (Budget) Bill 2027, with the Fifth Session of the 15th Parliament set to run for 37 days until December 8, 2026.