'Reach for the skies, rooted to earth': Anwar sets tone for Budget 2027

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said Budget 2027 aims to ensure that the fruits of national progress reach every citizen, with continued improvements to living standards and the people’s well-being at its core.

In a post on X ahead of tabling the budget this afternoon, Anwar, who is also the finance minister, said the fifth Madani Budget would also focus on safeguarding the people’s welfare and enabling them to live with dignity.

“Insya-Allah, this afternoon I will table Budget 2027 in the Dewan Rakyat, with the aspiration to ‘reach for the skies while remaining rooted to the earth’.

“Watch the live tabling of Budget 2027 on major television channels and digital platforms at 3.30pm today,” he said.

Meanwhile, Bernama quoted the Finance Ministry as saying Budget 2027 would build on the foundations laid by previous budgets.

As the second budget under the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP), it will continue to advance the three pillars of the Madani Economy: raising the growth ceiling, lifting the living standards floor and driving reforms in public sector governance.

The ministry said Malaysia’s economy had remained resilient amid global geopolitical uncertainties and disruptions to international supply chains, following structural reforms including fiscal consolidation and targeted subsidy rationalisation.

Ten key priorities

The ministry also outlined 10 key priorities for Budget 2027, including narrowing regional disparities, easing the cost of living through targeted assistance such as Rahmah Cash Aid (STR) and Budi Madani, strengthening social protection for gig workers and preparing for an ageing population by 2030.

Other priorities include improving access to essential services such as education and healthcare, accelerating technology-driven public sector transformation through Government Technology (GovTech), improving workers’ welfare through a dignified wage, empowering local entrepreneurs through the “Made by Malaysia” initiative, and attracting high-value investments in sectors such as semiconductors and artificial intelligence (AI).

In a post on X yesterday, Anwar expressed hope that Budget 2027 would further strengthen the country’s economic resilience, ease the cost-of-living burden, create more opportunities and ensure development benefits were shared more equitably across society.

According to the calendar on Parliament’s official portal, the Supply (Budget) Bill 2027 will undergo eight days of policy-stage debate beginning next week.

The relevant ministries are scheduled to wind up the debate from Oct 26 to 29, followed by the committee-stage debate from Nov 2 to 26, before the Bill is put to a vote in the Dewan Rakyat.

Bersama's Budget 2027: Not 'business as usual', and what it would do instead

Income, wages must remain a priority in Budget 2027, says minister

SNAPSHOT | Ex-MP wants meal plan in Budget 2027 to combat child stunting; weak earthquake in Sabah

Bersama to unveil alternative 2027 budget ahead of Anwar's tabling