Kuala lumpur: Budget 2026, set to be presented this October, will align with the first year of the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP) to maintain the nation’s developmental trajectory within the established medium-term policy framework. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim emphasized the budget’s focus on increasing the spending ceiling for growth and strategic investments, alongside raising the priority floor to enhance the welfare of the rakyat, particularly low-income groups.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the parliamentary calendar indicates that Budget 2026 will be tabled in the Dewan Rakyat on October 10. The approach to raising the ceiling involves boosting the country’s potential and competitiveness through investments in innovation, technology, and talent development. Meanwhile, raising the floor aims to improve the delivery of essential public services like education and healthcare, ensuring inclusivity and reducing disparities.

Anwar mentioned that the strategy of raising the ceiling would drive continued investment and economic growth, while the floor approach would ensure better access to essential services such as education, healthcare, and a minimum income, supporting the government’s reform agenda under the MADANI Economic Framework. This framework seeks balanced and inclusive national development.

The Prime Minister highlighted the necessity of considering both growth and investment alongside the floor to address living costs. Anwar also discussed recent tariff reductions on Malaysian exports to the United States, now at 19 percent, acknowledging remaining non-negotiable terms. He attributed part of this success to Malaysia’s diplomatic role in resolving the Cambodia-Thailand conflict.

Anwar expressed concerns about tariffs on semiconductors impacting several companies but noted that major Malaysian industry players already have investment commitments in the US. He cited Infineon as an example, a major German company serving various markets, and mentioned ongoing monitoring of the situation.

Additionally, Anwar underscored the importance of private firms and government-linked investment companies’ participation in community outreach initiatives, including programs such as ‘Kampung Angkat Madani’, ‘Sekolah Angkat’, and ‘Sejahtera Madani’. He noted that 1,000 schools are identified under the ‘Sekolah Angkat’ initiative, with proposals for RM100,000 allocations to each Felda settlement, traditional village, and urban poor area under ‘Sejahtera Madani’, empowering local communities to allocate funds according to their needs using technologies like drones.