2027 Budget proposes minimum‑wage rise and broader cost‑of‑living aid

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim outlined a 2027 Budget that aims to redirect savings toward low‑income households, smallholders, padi farmers and schoolchildren while also increasing allocations for defence, military and police housing and school infrastructure. The budget maintains petrol subsidies and earmarks cash‑aid programmes and tax relief to help households cope with higher living costs. It also proposes raising the national minimum wage to RM2,000 a month from June 2027, covering more than four million workers. Fiscal policy targets a deficit of about 3.3% of GDP, tightening the fiscal gap while supporting growth‑oriented investments.