{
  "id": 1672709,
  "title": "Budget 2027 to heed rakyat’s voices, PM says, as energy crisis weighs on households",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/18/budget-2027-to-heed-rakyats-voices-pm-says-as-energy-crisis-weighs-on",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-18T08:32:19.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Malay Mail",
    "slug": "malay-mail",
    "url": "https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2026/08/18/budget-2027-to-heed-rakyats-voices-pm-says-as-energy-crisis-weighs-on-households/231807"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced that Malaysia's 2027 Budget will prioritize the voices of the people and their aspirations. The Madani government, led by the Finance Minister, recognizes the impact of the energy crisis and rising cost of living pressures resulting from the conflict in West Asia. The focus of Budget 2027 will be on the Madani Economy's three pillars: increasing national growth, improving the well-being of the people, and reforming governance. The Ministry of Finance launched the 2027 Budget Engagement Session and Consultation Portal, inviting participants from various sectors to share their views and proposals. The 2027 Pre-Budget Statement highlighted ten focus areas, including tackling cost-of-living pressures, enhancing social protection, boosting education and healthcare, improving business competitiveness, and strengthening food security. Discussions at the engagement session focused on expanding social protection, advancing primary healthcare, promoting business automation and artificial intelligence, accelerating the green transition, and enhancing household resilience. The Finance Ministry will conduct further focus-group meetings and Budget 2027 roadshows to engage with the public and stakeholders nationwide.",
  "summary": "KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 18 — Budget 2027 must heed the voice of the people and meet their aspirations by driving the cou...",
  "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."
}