Budget 2023: RM64 billion to aid individuals in dealing with high cost of living issues

KUALA LUMPUR - The government has allocated a total of RM64 billion in the form of subsidies, aid and incentives as an effort to ease the people's burden.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the allocation aims to minimise the high cost of living through price control of goods, financial assistance and providing services to a majority of the people.

He said this includes introducing the Payung Rahmah concept as an efforts to aid the poor and vulnerable.

"One of them is the Rahmah Menu initiative which sets the price of meals at only RM5.

"Alhamdulillah the Rahmah Menu initiative is expected to continue to receive good responses from food vendors and the public.

"The government thanks all the entrepreneurs, even though the profit margin is smaller, but they continue to aid the public," he said during the tabling of Budget 2023 in Dewan Rakyat on Friday.

Anwar said the government has also paid for welfare aid worth RM2.5 billion to over 400,000 eligible recipients.

He said in order to speed up the updated data and to ensure no individuals are left out from receiving the aid, the government will continue to organise the list of monthly government aid recipients.

"The implementation Coordination Unit (ICU) and the Social Welfare Department (SWD) will be placed under one database," he said

The Tambun MP added the state governments have also played their role in providing assistance to targeted groups.

"The Sarawak's Premier and Sabah chief minister have agreed to continue the partial eradication programme of petroleum revenue payments to Sarawak and Sabah for poverty alleviation programmes," he said.

He explained the Finance Ministry will allocate part of the Kelantan and Terengganu Ehsan Funds to directly aid the poor.