{
  "id": 12097610,
  "title": "Beri perhatian 7 realiti ekonomi dalam Belanjawan 2027, pemimpin PAS beritahu kerajaan",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/05/beri-perhatian-7-realiti-ekonomi-dalam-belanjawan-2027-pemimpin-pas-12097610",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-10-05T05:44:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Malaysia Today",
    "slug": "free-malaysia-today-freemalays",
    "url": "https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/bahasa/tempatan/2026/10/05/beri-perhatian-7-realiti-ekonomi-dalam-belanjawan-2027-pemimpin-pas-beritahu-kerajaan"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Seven economic realities that demand attention in Malaysia's 2027 budget were highlighted by Bachok MP Syahir Sulaiman, who told the government to take note despite the country's economy growing 6% over the past year, according to the source. The MP said that economic growth, a stable labor market, a strong currency, and investments totaling RM218.5 billion in the first half of 2026 have not automatically translated into improved living standards for the people. The first reality is that the government's fiscal space is increasingly constrained, with the fiscal deficit falling from 6.4% in 2021 to 3.7% in 2025, while fuel subsidies are estimated to reach RM40 billion this year. \"Secondly, living costs continue to put pressure on households even though the official inflation rate was only 1.8% in July, as this figure does not always reflect the spending patterns of every family,\" Syahir said in a statement. The third reality is that job losses continue to occur, with 68,177 workers losing their jobs between January and September of this year, requiring support to return to the job market. \"Fourthly, micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) are facing pressure from rising costs and demand, as well as competition from e-commerce platforms and foreign inflows in the food and consumption sector,\" he said. Syahir noted that the bottom 10% of earners, according to the Khazanah Research Institute (KRI), have seen their average savings fall by 81%, from RM219 in 2019 to RM41 in 2024. The sixth reality is that low wages are widening, with the median monthly salary for formal sector workers only RM3,027 in March 2026, with 10% of workers earning less than RM1,700 and 20% earning less than RM1,800. The seventh reality is that young people are increasingly relying on gig economies, with survey data from the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) finding that 97% of workers aged 15 to 30 are in gig work, with 70% making gig work their primary job and 74% relying on it as their main source of income. Syahir said the seven realities show that the 2027 budget needs to balance fiscal discipline with the need to support economic growth and help the people. He urged the government to pay attention to the M40 group facing rising costs for healthcare, childcare, education, and housing, as they bear the brunt of the \"sandwich generation\" needing to care for both children and aging parents. \"Ahead of the 2027 budget, attention should be given to household income, labor market stability, and living cost pressure, especially for the M40 group that forms the backbone of national economic growth,\" he said.",
  "summary": "Ahli Parlimen Bachok berkata pertumbuhan ekonomi 6% belum menggambarkan keadaan sebenar rakyat yang berdepan kos sara hidup, hilang pekerjaan, upah rendah dan tekanan kewangan.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Free Malaysia Today",
        "title": "Beri perhatian 7 realiti ekonomi dalam Belanjawan 2027, pemimpin PAS beritahu kerajaan",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/05/beri-perhatian-7-realiti-ekonomi-dalam-belanjawan-2027-pemimpin-pas",
        "published": "2026-10-05T05:44:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}