POLITICAL observers said Budget 2024 addressed issues long left on the backburner, and provided relief to the B40 group that has been hardest hit by rising living costs.

They told The Malaysian Insight that this budget – valued at RM393.8 billion, making it the largest ever – also focused on the education sector, especially students in the B40 group.

They said much funds were being used to improve school infrastructure and education facilities.

This was the unity government’s second budget – the first being the RM388 billion Budget 2023 that was retabled by Anwar in February, which was not based on the Madani concept.

The budget contained integrated policies such as the National Energy Transition Roadmap, the New Industrial Master Plan 2030, and the mid-term review of the 12th Malaysia Plan.

Universiti Teknologi Malaysia academic Mazlan Ali said: “This is a pro-people budget. The PM considered everyone and he talked about their daily needs … not just in the peninsula, but in Sabah and Sarawak, too.

“With its current circumstances and financial hardships, the government still went all out to aid the people.

“I was surprised when he gave attention to fixing toilets in schools and upgrading hawker centres. These issues were never considered by previous governments.

“One good thing about this is most contractors for these small projects are Malay and they will benefit,” he said.

Anwar proposed the government carry out a targeted effort to maintain and repair toilets in 8,354 schools by year-end. The government also allocated RM150 million to local councils nationwide to maintain and repair public toilets.

Anwar then announced RM110 million would be allocated next year to upgrade hawker centres and dilapidated public market infrastructure.

Mazlan also said the prime minister was showing his commitment towards revising civil servants’ salaries and allowances.

He said the RM2,000 incentive was among the highest ever allowances given by a government, and heralded the beginning of better things for those in civil service.

“I think it has been more than a decade, if I am not mistaken, that the salary was last revised. The incentive is high and I think it will benefit many civil servants.

“The RM1,000 for retirees shows the government is also paying attention to former civil servants,” he said.

Prof Ahmad Marthada Mohamed of Universiti Utara Malaysia echoed Mazlan’s views.

Marthada said Anwar was trying to lift the people’s economy through education by providing large allocations for the education sector.

He said everyone has been considered in the budget, from farmers to civil servants.

“The PM also gave attention to dilapidated schools, showing his commitment to ensuring our kids receive the best education.

“When he announced students can attend university classes even without paying their fees, it shows he wants to uplift them through education. He doesn’t want students to miss their classes, which shows that he is concerned about academics,” Marthada said.

The Education Ministry received RM58.7 billion under Budget 2024, an RM3.5 billion increase from the funds it got in 2023.

Twenty-six new schools were set to be built to the tune of RM2.5 billion.

Meanwhile, the Higher Education Ministry was given RM16.3 billion, including RM250 million to upgrade and expand Wi-Fi coverage at public universities and RM300 million to repair infrastructure and replace equipment.

Fatin Nabihah Razali, 25, who recently graduated from a local university, said she was grateful to the government for continuing to provide repayment discounts for National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) loans.

Fatin said she would opt to deduct her PTPTN loan repayments from her salary.

“As someone staying in the city and as a young graduate trying to make a living, I consider myself part of the B40 group. I thank the government for this initiative to offer a discount so many graduates who have just started working can slowly pay off their debts.

“I wish I was still a student. I heard students can still go to class and universities are required to assist them if they are in need. This is a very good move from the government. Many students will now be able to go to class and not worry too much about the fees,” she said.

Aziz Munir, a hawker in Meru, Klang, said it was about time the federal government fixed old hawker centres.

The chicken rice seller said those centres were in bad shape.

“Many customers complain the centres are dirty and not well maintained. We as traders have voiced our concerns, but nothing could be done as there was no budget. Every time we complained, the answer was the same: there’s no money.

“Thankfully, this government finally gave quite a huge budget for repairs. Hopefully the money can be disbursed soon to make (hawker centres) nice again.

“This will attract not just locals, but in places like in Kuala Lumpur, it can attract tourists from all over the world,” he said. – October 14, 2023.