PUBLISHED ONJuly 23, 2025 4:47 AMBYChing Shi JieMalaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on Wednesday (July 23) unveiled a raft of initiatives, which he said are a "token of appreciation" for Malaysians amid their concerns with high cost of living.
Among them: A RM100 (S$30) one-off cash handout, price cuts to RON95 petrol for eligible Malaysians and an additional public holiday this year on Sept 15.
In an address on national television and social media, Anwar, who is also the finance minister, said that the cash assistance — for all Malaysians aged 18 and above — is an immediate measure to ease the rising cost of living.
It is also timed to coincide with National Day on Aug 31.
"I stress this is the first time in history that cash aid is distributed to all adult citizens," said the prime minister, adding that it is expected to benefit 22 million people and cost the government RM2 billion.
The cash assistance can be used to purchase essential goods at over 4,100 outlets in Malaysia, including supermarkets and participating shops.
On the additional public holiday, Anwar said that it is aimed to "honour" national unity in conjunction with Malaysia Day celebrations.
"It is hoped that this will strengthen unity and remind us of the greatness of our founding fathers who championed the formation of our beloved Malaysia," he added.
The moves come as Anwar crosses the midway point of his first term as prime minister.
A poll by research firm Merdeka Centre in June found that there is a slight increase in his approval ratings — 55 per cent in May 2025 compared with 54 per cent in December 2024 and 50 per cent in November 2023.
But negative sentiments regarding the country's direction remain, with Malaysians citing concerns such as inflation and the high cost of living.
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