PRIME Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s six measures announced ahead of National Day may not amount to a sweeping solution to the cost-of-living pressures facing Malaysians, but they do something more immediate — put relief within reach of people dealing with everyday expenses.
The measures, which take effect from today, cover fuel, schools, healthcare, young people and small businesses, giving the package a reach that extends well beyond household spending.
The decision most likely to be felt immediately is the restoration of the Budi Madani RON95 (BUDI95) monthly allocation from 200 litres to 300 litres.
More than 16 million users will continue to benefit from subsidised RON95, while eligible owners of diesel-powered pickup trucks and four-wheel-drive vehicles will see their Budi Diesel quota increased to 400 litres a month.
For motorists who depend on their vehicles for work or travel considerable distances each day, that additional allocation is tangible relief.
It is also a response to one of the most visible complaints following the earlier reduction in the BUDI95 quota.
For parents and students, the increase in school maintenance funding is another measure with a very practical payoff.
The allocation for 2027 will rise by 50%, from RM1 billion to RM1.5 billion, covering national schools as well as Chinese and Tamil schools, religious and tahfiz institutions, pondok schools and special education facilities. The Education Ministry has also been instructed to speed up assessments of repair applications.
Then there is the government’s push to get younger Malaysians more comfortable with artificial intelligence.
The AI Untuk Rakyat programme will be opened to 100,000 Malaysians aged 18 to 30, with those who complete the required modules receiving three months’ free access to selected AI applications.
It is a relatively small intervention compared with the fuel and infrastructure allocations, but one aimed squarely at a generation entering a workplace where AI is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore.
Healthcare receives a much larger investment.
The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission will provide RM1 billion to strengthen digital systems in the public health sector, including electronic medical records and internet connectivity for 150 hospitals and more than 2,000 public health clinics. The intended payoff is straightforward: better systems and, ultimately, less time spent waiting for treatment.
For small businesses, the relief comes in two forms.
The government is raising the e-Invoice exemption threshold from RM1 million to RM3 million in annual sales, meaning businesses below the new threshold will not be required to implement the system.
Microfinancing facilities will also receive an additional RM1 billion, taking the total allocation for 2026 to RM6 billion. Another RM200 million will be channelled through the Geran Sejahtera MADANI for hawkers, small traders, night-market operators and mothers running businesses from home.
That combination is significant because the pressures faced by small operators are not limited to finding capital. Compliance costs, paperwork and day-to-day cash flow can be just as difficult to manage.
What stands out about Anwar’s package is therefore its range.
A motorist gets more room under BUDI95. A school gets more money for repairs. A young Malaysian gets access to AI tools. Public hospitals and clinics get investment in digital systems. Smaller businesses get relief from e-Invoice requirements and more financing.
None of these measures, on its own, is likely to transform the economy.
But together, they show a government responding to problems at ground level — some immediate, others less visible — while trying to ensure that the benefits of economic growth reach beyond headline figures.
For Malaysians feeling the squeeze, that practical focus may be the most important part of the announcement. – September 1, 2026
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