by AZALEA AZUAR / pic TMR FILE

THE government continues to focus on the well-being of Malaysians in all levels of society, while also helping its civil servants, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

He said he has been hearing this misconception that the government only focuses on its civil servants while ignoring others.

”I don’t want people to say that we only focus on civil servants. That’s not true.

”Our policy in the Ministry of Finance (MOF) is that we care for each sector based on its equity,” he said during the MOF personnel gathering in Putrajaya today.

Anwar, who is also the Finance Minister said the government has decided to increase the incentives to RM3 this year from RM2.70 in 2023 to rubber tappers because he received complaints about the price and incentives of rubber production,

This brought the total allocation from RM350 million in 2023 to RM400 million in 2024.

Anwar also announced that the rice subsidy rate has increased from RM360 in 2022 to RM500 in 2023.

The purchase floor price has also been increased to RM1,300 in 2023 compared to RM1,200 in 2022.

This, he said, did not include the cash handout of Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah (STR) of which the first phase was rolled out at the end of last month.

Anwar explained that a total of RM10 billion has been allocated this year to benefit nine million STR recipients. 

”So I make it clear so don’t accuse us of not taking care of the people’s well-being.

”The high cost of living has become a challenge for children to go to school, expenses and our health. That is all taken into account,” he said.

The Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (SARA) program also aims to help the poor through their myKAD to help them purchase goods.

A total of RM700 million has been allocated this year to benefit 700,000 recipients. 

That is an increase from RM130 million which was only channelled to 210,000 people in 2023.