Malaysia budget: Anwar to boost welfare, keep subsidies amid inflation worries

🔮 Malaysia budget: Anwar to boost welfare, keep subsidies amid inflation worries The US$112.5 billion budget comes as the Malaysian leader faces pressure to hold an early general election after several state poll defeats 3-MIN READ3-MIN Malaysia’s government will boost spending on social welfare while maintaining subsidies to rein in the cost of living under its 2027 Budget unveiled on Friday, as Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim seeks to shore up public support while under pressure to call for an early general election.

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🔮 Malaysia’s Anwar Ibrahim is expected to roll out a populist budget on Friday aimed at placating voter concerns over the cost of living and access to essential services, experts say, as the prime minister seeks to shore up support ahead of a general election that could be called as soon as next year.

🔮 The ex-prime minister’s legal team also dismisses a ‘stupid question’ about ‘the billions’ donated by the Saudi royal family King Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar last Friday decreed that Najib would be allowed to serve out the remainder of his sentence at home, on condition that he pay his 50 million ringgit (US$10.3 million) fine. The decision triggered widespread outrage among Malaysians over the purported preferential treatment for the corruption-tainted former prime minister and a fundraiser launched by his former ruling Umno party to settle the fine. Najib’s release into house arrest, however, was far from certain as he currently had no means to raise the funds on his own after the authorities froze access to all of his bank accounts, his lawyers said outside the Kuala Lumpur court complex on Friday.

🔮 “A state election will be held within 60 days of the dissolution of the state assembly,” commission chairman Ramlan Harun said in a statement late on Tuesday, adding that the commission would convene a special meeting soon to decide on the date of the election.

🔮 Anwar and PH’s reformist credentials took a hit on Friday after the Pardons Board announced that Najib would be allowed to serve out the remainder of his jail term at home, provided the former prime minister settles his 50 million ringgit (US$10.3 million) fine. In response, Anthony Loke, secretary general of the Democratic Action Party (DAP), announced on Saturday that he would resign from cabinet in a move widely seen as decrying Najib’s house arrest.

🔮 Will Malaysia reap the rewards?

🔮 “He must abide by these conditions, and should he fail to fulfil any of these conditions, his conditional pardon will be nullified and must immediately serve the remainder of his sentence in jail,” the Pardons Board said in a statement.