PUTRAJAYA, Aug 30 — The government will increase the maintenance allocation for all types of schools by 50 per cent, from RM1 billion to RM1.5 billion in 2027, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
The additional allocation will cover all priority school streams, including national schools, Chinese and Tamil national-type schools, religious schools, tahfiz institutions, pondok schools, and special education.
"Everyone is guaranteed to receive additional allocations," he said during his National Day Prime Address at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre today.
Anwar added that the Education Ministry will also mobilise efforts to visit every district starting next month to examine every application for school infrastructure repairs.
This step aims to identify infrastructure repair needs earlier and avoid delays until next year.
Meanwhile, Anwar, also the Finance Minister, announced that the AI for the Rakyat Programme will open tomorrow to 100,000 Malaysian youths aged 18 to 30.
Youths who complete the designated modules will receive a free three-month subscription to leading artificial intelligence (AI) applications.
"It includes local AI chat knowledge verified by the United States-based local AI Gemini Enterprise, as well as Wonder Clip and Mul Run from China; everyone will get access starting tomorrow, as soon as September 1," he said.
For the public health sector, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) will allocate RM1 billion to strengthen digital efficiency, including implementing an electronic medical records system and providing Internet connectivity in 150 hospitals and over 2,000 public health clinics.
The move aims to speed up treatment, reducing patient waiting times in public hospitals and health clinics.
Anwar said the government has also agreed to raise the e-Invoice implementation exemption threshold once again, from RM1 million to RM3 million per year, thereby exempting businesses with annual sales not exceeding RM3 million from the obligation to implement it.
He also announced several immediate initiatives for the people, including an additional RM1 billion in micro-financing facilities, bringing the total fund for 2026 up from RM5 billion to RM6 billion.
The government will also introduce the MADANI Prosperity Grant (Geran Sejahtera MADANI) amounting to RM200 million to help hawkers, small traders, night market vendors, and mothers running home-based businesses.
Anwar said these announcements were made in light of the cost-of-living pressures still faced by the public and the cost pressures on micro, small, and medium enterprises, as well as needs related to school infrastructure and healthcare services.
Although Budget 2027 will be tabled in the near future, several measures need to be implemented earlier because cost-of-living pressures and business requirements demand urgent action.
"Therefore, on the eve of independence, I am compelled to find a way, take steps, and announce something that can provide temporary relief to you, school children, youths, housewives, and mothers through today's announcements," he said.
Earlier, the Prime Minister announced six immediate initiatives for the people, covering students, youths, and small and medium-sized traders, all of which take effect starting September 1.
The six immediate initiatives include restoring the BUDI95 base eligibility from 200 to 300 litres per month; increasing the maintenance allocation for all types of schools for 2027 by 50 per cent, from RM1 billion to RM1.5 billion; and opening the AI Untuk Rakyat programme to Malaysian youths aged 18 to 30.
In addition, the immediate initiatives encompass the MCMC providing RM1 billion to strengthen the digital efficiency of the public health sector, covering the implementation of an Electronic Medical Records system and internet connectivity in 150 hospitals and over 2,000 public health clinics, as well as raising the e-Invoice exemption threshold once again from RM1 million to RM3 million per year.
The government will also add RM1 billion in micro-financing facilities, bringing the total fund for 2026 up from RM5 billion to RM6 billion, and introduce the RM200 million MADANI Prosperity Grant.
