Malaysians welcome Budget aid, but seek long-term solutions to rising living costs [WATCH]

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysians have welcomed measures in the 2027 Budget to ease financial pressures but called for longer-term solutions to rising living costs, employment challenges and education needs.

Full-time GrabFood rider Ahyar Amat, 35, said the measures would help ease the burden of rising living costs, particularly for private-sector employees and gig workers.

"We feel less burdened by the current economic situation, with costs continuing to rise. I think the measures are encouraging for Malaysians," he said.

However, he hoped the government would provide further support for gig workers, whose incomes were often unpredictable.

"Our income is not increasing; it is actually decreasing. We hope the government will do more for the gig economy, especially for riders," he said.

SJKC teacher Kweh Ci Yin said more financial support was needed to upgrade school infrastructure and facilities, particularly classrooms designed for 21st Century Learning.

​​​​​​​"As an SJKC teacher, I would like more government support to improve our infrastructure, especially to develop PAK-21 classrooms. We need financial assistance to upgrade our facilities," she said, adding that she was satisfied with the measures announced so far.

Fresh graduate Karthigeswary Mageswaran, 23, said financial assistance would help young Malaysians manage daily expenses, including transport and rent.

While welcoming cost-of-living assistance and measures for National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) borrowers, she said longer-term solutions were needed to provide greater financial stability.

"One-off assistance can help for a while, but we need to focus on the long term because the cost of living keeps rising," she said.

She also called for more jobs suited to graduates' qualifications, particularly in specialised fields such as biotechnology and microbiology, as well as higher starting salaries.

Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) student Nurul Syahzanani Khairudin, 18, said the RM200 early schooling assistance would help families with several school-going children.

"The RM200 assistance would help my brothers, as three of them are in primary and secondary school.

"There are many things my parents may not be able to afford, so the money could help them buy the things they still need," she said.

The responses reflected a shared call for the Budget to go beyond immediate financial relief and address longer-term concerns over income growth, employment opportunities, education and the rising cost of living.