KUALA LUMPUR: Budget 2026 will strengthen social protection and lift household resilience while focusing investments on semiconductors, energy transition, digitalisation, startups, and future industries.
Finance Minister II Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan said the budget to be tabled on Friday would be about protecting households from today’s pressures while laying the foundations for tomorrow’s growth.
“For the families balancing the monthly budget, or the young Malaysians searching for their first job, uncertainty is not an idea; it is a lived reality. Budget 2026 is designed with them at its heart,“ he said in his closing address at the Khazanah Megatrends Forum 2025.
He described the budget as the opening act of the 13th Malaysia Plan, charting Malaysia’s course from 2026 to 2030.
“Our direction is clear. Malaysia will re-industrialise with the New Industrial Master Plan, lead in semiconductors through the National Semiconductor Strategy, accelerate the energy transition, and embrace digitalisation and innovation,“ he said.
“All these strategies share one goal – to secure better jobs, stronger businesses, and brighter opportunities for our children.”
The budget also secures Malaysia’s fiscal foundations by narrowing the fiscal deficit to 3.8% of GDP this year and reducing reliance on debt.
It strengthens governance through the Fiscal Responsibility Act 2023 and new transparency laws.
Amir Hamzah said the 13th Malaysia Plan will not just be a plan for the economy but a plan for Malaysians.
“For workers, it means better jobs. For households, more affordable living. For small businesses, stronger support to grow. For the young, more opportunities to stay and succeed at home,“ he added.
He noted Malaysia’s economy remains resilient despite global challenges.
“Even as global tides challenge us, Malaysia has demonstrated resilience, with record foreign direct investments, a stronger ringgit, improved competitiveness, falling unemployment, and low inflation,“ he said. – Bernama