Kuala Lumpur: Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has announced a raft of measures to ease the financial burden on citizens with mounting pressure over rising living costs and growing public discontent.
Anwar said the government would distribute a one-off cash aid of 100 ringgit (approximately $24) to all adult citizens, benefiting more than 22 million Malaysians. The handout will be redeemable at over 4,000 participating outlets nationwide from August 31 to December 31.
As part of the broader relief package, the price of subsidised RON95 petrol will be reduced from 2.05 ringgit to 1.99 ringgit per litre. In addition, planned toll hikes on 10 major highways will be frozen, and an extra public holiday has been declared for September 15 to coincide with Malaysia Day celebrations.
Yeah Kim Leng, an economics professor at Sunway University, remarked that, “Malaysian households, especially those in the low and middle-income groups, will welcome the cost-of-living relief provided by the measures.”
The announcement comes just days ahead of a mass protest scheduled in Kuala Lumpur, organised by the opposition Perikatan Nasional coalition. The rally is expected to draw up to 15,000 participants, according to police estimates, with demonstrators calling for Anwar’s resignation over what they claim is his failure to control inflation and deliver on key reforms.
Despite criticism, Anwar reaffirmed his commitment to prioritising the welfare of the people, stating that the latest initiatives were designed to provide immediate relief while longer-term structural reforms take shape.
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