The Malaysian government, under Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, has allocated 81 billion ringgit (approximately $17.1 billion) to subsidize essential items such as electricity, fuel, and food. Prime Minister Ibrahim emphasized that reducing subsidies without considering the people’s needs is not an option, as the government must ensure that citizens are not burdened by the current cost of living.
He explained that subsidies are a government intervention aimed at easing the financial burden on the people, and while subsidies for chicken and eggs alone amount to 3.8 billion ringgit, reducing them could lead to an increase in the cost of living. Therefore, a more resilient policy, such as the rationalization of subsidies, is needed.