KUALA LUMPUR: Former Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has welcomed the government's measures to ease the cost of living burden on the rakyat, support the business sector, and enhance public service delivery.
Muhyiddin said restoring the RON95 subsidy eligibility cap from 200 litres to 300 litres per month and raising the e-Invoicing exemption threshold to businesses with annual sales up to RM3mil are expected to help the public and businesses cope with rising costs.
"Following the announcement of these measures, it is vital for relevant ministries and government agencies to disburse allocations promptly and ensure all assistance reaches eligible individuals and businesses.
"I hope these announced steps will be followed by further comprehensive measures to lighten the rakyat's cost of living burden, support businesses, and spur economic growth through Budget 2027," the Bersatu president said in a Facebook post on Monday (Aug 31).
He also hoped that other initiatives, including an additional RM500mil for school maintenance, digitalising healthcare services, and providing access to artificial intelligence (AI) software subscriptions for youth, would elevate the quality of government service delivery in education, healthcare, and the digital economy.
Meanwhile, Muhyiddin said the additional RM1bil in micro-credit facilities for small traders, plus RM200mil in grants to support petty traders, night market vendors, and women running home-based businesses, would stimulate commercial activity, especially for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
He also urged the government to review taxation and subsidy rationalisation policies that contribute directly to the public's current financial strain.
On Sunday (Aug 30), Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced six immediate initiatives for the rakyat covering fuel subsidies, school maintenance, AI access, healthcare digitalisation, e-Invoicing, and micro-financing, which will take effect on Sept 1.
Anwar said these initiatives represent proactive government steps to address public concerns, particularly regarding the cost of living and daily financial pressures. – Bernama
