The 2025 budget that will be announced on Friday this week will bring various surprises in the Madani government's efforts to strengthen the national economy in the long term and make Malaysia more competitive in Asia.
Among those that will be focused on is the focus on digitization, technological innovation such as artificial intelligence (AI) as well as reforms in the public service sector to increase efficiency and combat corruption.
In addition, the popular move by rationalizing subsidies especially for RON95 petrol is expected to be one of the big surprises in Budget 2025.
The government may introduce a phased implementation to reduce the country's financial burden as well as ensure protection mechanisms for low-income groups such as through targeted subsidies.
An important topic that will become the talk of the community is cash assistance programs such as Rahmah Cash Contribution (STR) and Rahmah Basic Contribution (SARA) which are expected to be expanded to help the urban and rural poor.
This initiative aims to ease the burden of the cost of living which still weighs on the majority of the people, especially in the midst of ongoing global inflationary pressure.
Important priority sectors such as health, education and rural infrastructure are also expected to receive public attention in Budget 2025.
Investment in basic infrastructure as well as improving the quality of health and education services will be intensified to ensure a more balanced development between urban and rural areas and improve the well-being of all levels of society.
