{
  "id": 15725835,
  "title": "Higher tax relief to boost take-home pay for M40 from January",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/20/higher-tax-relief-to-boost-take-home-pay-for-m40-from-january",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-20T09:41:41.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "New Straits Times",
    "slug": "new-straits-times",
    "url": "https://www.nst.com.my/news/regional/2026/10/1559867/higher-tax-relief-boost-take-home-pay-m40-january"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Starting from January 2027, Malaysian taxpayers earning within the middle-income range will experience a boost in tax relief, with the individual tax relief amount rising from RM9,000 to RM12,000. This change, announced in the 2027 Budget, will result in lower monthly tax deductions for these individuals, effectively increasing their take-home pay.\n\nThe Prime Minister's Office Economic Adviser, Nurhisham Hussein, highlighted that this measure would provide immediate relief, particularly to those in the M40 income bracket. The personal relief, which has remained unchanged for the past 20 years, is seen as a positive development. Over the past three years, the government has managed to address several long-standing issues, such as fixing civil service salaries, which had not been adjusted for 15 years, and reforming the pension system to shift to the Employees Provident Fund (EPF).\n\nAddressing the 2027 Budget, Nurhisham emphasized the government's focus on striking a balance between fiscal consolidation and easing the cost-of-living burden, particularly amid global uncertainties like the war in Ukraine and conflicts in the Middle East. He also noted the expansion of the Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (Sara) program, which now covers a wider range of essential goods, including fresh produce and chicken.\n\nRegarding government spending, Nurhisham mentioned that the Pantau unit under the Prime Minister's Department is responsible for monitoring ministries' spending against key performance indicators, identifying underutilised allocations, and resolving implementation issues. He stressed the importance of responsible fiscal management, as excessive spending could lead to market penalties and political consequences. Former Finance Minister Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz, who chaired the podcast, described the 2027 Budget as people-friendly and aimed at providing assistance to the public while stressing the importance of effective implementation and communication to ensure the budget delivers its promised benefits.",
  "summary": "KUALA LUMPUR: The raising of individual tax relief to RM12,000 from RM9,000 under the 2027 Budget will result in lower monthly tax deductions for taxpayers starting January next year.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "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."
}