Budget 2027: BKK, Sara Madani payments mark appreciation for Malaysians ahead of 70th Merdeka anniversary, says Anwar

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the ‘tujuh dasawarsa’ (seven decades) of independence is significant because independence itself represented a gift to the people.

First Published: Sunday, 11 Oct 2026 11:10 AM MYT

PUTRAJAYA, Oct 11 — The government’s payment of Special Financial Assistance (BKK) and Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (Sara) Madani next year, in conjunction with the 70th anniversary of the country’s independence, is an appreciation for the people’s role in Malaysia’s development since independence.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the tujuh dasawarsa (seven decades) of independence is significant because independence itself represented a gift to the people.

“The tujuh dasarwasa of independence represents a gift to the people,” he told Bernama when asked about its significance, which was mentioned in his Budget 2027 speech on Friday.

Under Budget 2027, the government has agreed to provide RM1,500 in BKK to 1.3 million civil servants in Grade Utama B and below, including contract staff.

More than one million government pensioners, including veterans with and without pensions, will also receive RM750 in assistance.

Anwar, who is also Finance Minister, said the BKK payments will be made in two instalments, before Aidilfitri and ahead of the 70th anniversary of independence.

Malaysians aged 18 and above who do not receive the Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah (STR) will also receive RM100 per payment under Sara Madani, disbursed twice.

The assistance is intended to ensure that the benefits of national development reach the public and to acknowledge the contributions of civil servants, pensioners and the wider community since Malaysia gained independence.

Malaysia will celebrate 70 years of independence in 2027, marking seven decades of progress and efforts to improve the wellbeing of its people.

Budget 2027, themed “Reaching for the Sky, Rooted in the Ground”, was tabled with a government allocation of RM459.8 billion, supplemented by RM25 billion in investments from government-linked investment companies, RM11 billion in public-private investments, and RM14.2 billion from federal statutory bodies and Minister of Finance Incorporated (MOF Inc) companies.

This brings the total size of Budget 2027, which continues an expansionary fiscal policy, to RM510 billion.

The fifth Madani Budget seeks to ensure that resilient economic growth delivers tangible benefits to the people, including better wages, more effective targeted support, stronger fiscal discipline and a faster transition to higher-value industries. — Bernama