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AS anticipation builds ahead of Budget 2026, voices from across Malaysian society are urging the government to go beyond short-term relief and deliver long-term, structural solutions that restore dignity to daily life in the face of rising costs.
Among them is Khayrana Pilus, a 45-year-old single mother of four and e-hailing driver, who also freelances as a writer and event decorator. She says she has long felt overlooked by national budgets.
“Working mothers, especially single mothers like me, are often those who slip between the gaps in the annual budget,” she told Sinar Harian. “When we lose our jobs, we are usually stuck without savings. We juggle a few jobs to ensure we have food on the table.”
She is calling for the introduction of an emergency retrenchment fund and targeted rental subsidies for the M40 group, which she says is being edged out of home ownership in urban centres.
“For the M40 group, they should be eligible for housing rent subsidies, as many don’t even own houses due to the skyrocketing prices in urban areas,” she added.
Dr Zafrina Burukan, 41, a general practitioner and mother, echoed calls for financial policies that allow families to maintain basic health and well-being.
“When families can invest in prevention, we avoid the higher costs of late-stage treatment and hospitalisation,” she told The Star. “We must ensure that the cost of living in Malaysia supports dignity, not just survival.”
Entrepreneurs are also seeking reform. Shahrul Hafeez Seman, 55, who is self-employed, called on the government to simplify access to assistance.
“Nowadays, we have to go through many agencies to see what we are eligible for,” he said, adding that lower import duties on books would also support literacy and education at the household level.
Meanwhile, students are intensifying their calls for targeted relief on campus, where inflation is increasingly biting into limited budgets.
Alka Kaur Sandhu, 24, Deputy President of the Student Representative Council (MPP) at Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), said while government initiatives like deferred registration and the Siswa Sulung programme are helpful, they are not enough.
“Broader support needs to be extended to all students,” she said. “Subsidising campus meals has a direct impact. It’s something students feel every day.”
USM MPP President Muhamad Arif Esa, 25, said book vouchers and public transport discounts, though welcomed, remain of limited impact.
“Many students already rely on free campus buses or affordable Rapid services. And book vouchers don’t go far when most of our materials are now digital,” he said. “Perhaps the voucher period could be extended across an entire academic session to allow for better planning.”
He also called for serious attention to unpaid industrial training placements, describing them as an ongoing burden.
“Practical training incurs high living costs, and yet some students receive no allowance at all,” he said. “They’re effectively workers, only lacking experience. That’s no excuse not to pay them.”
Muhammad Faizul Nazrul Hamzah, Chairman of the National Penang Students' Council, said the government must consider student housing, food, and transport as core components of education policy.
“Rent, food and transport consume most of a student’s monthly budget,” he said. “Government support is appreciated, but more must be done.”
He suggested targeted campus subsidies and special rates for essential services. On student loans, he urged the government to reform repayment under the National Higher Education Fund (PTPTN).
“Students are hoping for adjustments in repayment, such as reduced interest or *ujrah* rates, income-based repayment schemes, and early repayment discounts,” he said. “These would reflect the financial realities graduates face.”
He added that what students seek is not merely short-term relief but a sustainable structure for success.
“This is not just about temporary aid. What we need is a sustainable ecosystem that controls student living costs, ensures fair financing, and supports the transition into employment — so that every investment in higher education results in capable, competitive graduates,” he said.
With Budget 2026 due to be tabled on 10 October, public sentiment suggests a strong desire for pragmatic, inclusive policymaking—where the rakyat are not left to simply endure economic uncertainty, but empowered to thrive in it. - September 28, 2025
