PRIME Minister Anwar Ibrahim said the subsidy rationalisation announced in the Budget 2024 was not meant to burden the people. 

He said it was to ensure the government did not waste public funds to please the wealthy. 

“I am not anti-super-rich, but we must be fair to the vulnerable and the needy,” he said in a Facebook today. 

In his speech at the “Path Towards Greater Prosperity for Malaysia” symposium in Putrajaya earlier today, he touched on the government’s priorities and responsibilities to ensure there were no unnecessary leakages, absconding of public wealth, and corruption before considering the necessity of taxation. 

“Therefore, losses amounting to tens of billions of ringgit that have been borne by the government for decades should be recovered so that they can be invested for the wellbeing of the people,” he said.  

When tabling the budget on Friday, Anwar announced the move to rationalise subsidies would be implemented in stages beginning next year. 

He said savings from that would be partly channelled to increase the allocation for Rahmah Cash Aid from RM8 billion to RM10 billion. – Bernama, October 18, 2023.