16/07/2026

THURSDAY | JULY 16, 2026

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No cut to subsidies

BRIDGING SKILLS GAP THE Serian

Advanced Technology Training Centre is partnering with industry players including Daikin to train youths in refrigeration and air-conditioning technology and improve their chances of securing jobs after graduation. Human Resources Deputy Minister Datuk Khairul Firdaus Akbar Khan said the government was expanding access to skilled, competitively paid jobs in rural areas so youths could secure quality employment without having to migrate to major cities. 53 ‘SICK’ PROJECTS IN 1ST QUARTER A TOTAL of 53 Public Works Department projects were classified as sick as of the first quarter of 2026, representing 6.18% of all ongoing construction projects nationwide. Works Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi said in a written parliamentary reply on July 14 that 17 contracts had been terminated, with replacement contractors appointed, while no projects were classified as abandoned. BOOSTING CONNECTIVITY TO reduce internet disruptions, telecommunication providers have stepped up measures by introducing backup links, alternative routing and round the-clock network monitoring. Communications Deputy Minister Teo Nie Ching said the measures are aimed at mitigating outages caused by network congestion, fibre cuts, cable theft, wildlife and transmission failures. She added that steel trunking is also being installed at high-risk telecommunications towers, while infrastructure upgrades continue under the National Digital Network Plan or Jendela. EXPLORING NUCLEAR OPTIONS MALAYSIA has begun a phased assessment of nuclear energy as a long-term electricity source, marking an early step in evaluating its future energy mix. Energy Transition and Water Transformation Deputy Minister Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Mohamad said any decision to build a nuclear power plant would only be made after all prerequisites had been met and the technology was proven to be safe, viable and beneficial.

BR I E F S

PETALING JAYA: The government has no intention of cutting current subsidies, even as petroleum subsidy expenditure is expected to reach almost RM40 billion this year, said Deputy Finance Minister Liew Chin Tong. Liew said the government saw no immediate need to revisit its 2026 fiscal projections based on its Ű BY QIRANA NABILLA MOHD RASHIDI AND FAIZ RUZMAN newsdesk@thesundaily.com

o Govt stands firm despite petroleum expenditure bill expected to hit nearly RM40b, says Finance deputy minister

highlighted operations had 10 syndicates in the Klang Valley and Johor, leading to the arrest of 29 local agents and the rescue of 40 victims. “The ministry will not compromise on enforcement and will continue taking firm action under the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007 and the Penal Code against masterminds or local agents found collaborating with international syndicates.” dismantled socioeconomic status had narrowed by 57.75%. Wong was responding to Kamal Ashaari (PN-Kuala Krau), who said socioeconomic background remained a major predictor of students’ academic performance despite improvements in reducing disparities. Kamal cited findings from the 2022 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) which showed that pupils from higher socioeconomic backgrounds recorded an average Mathematics score of 458, compared with 375 among those from lower income groups. Wong said the new plan would place greater emphasis on ensuring equitable access to quality education, infrastructure and digital resources for schools in both urban and rural areas. “We will ensure that the available resources are distributed fairly and equitably to all schools, whether they are in urban or rural areas.” He added that schools with dilapidated infrastructure would continue to be prioritised based on their needs. Wong said the new education plan is “not merely a continuation” of the previous blueprint but a strategic intervention designed to ensure the national education system remains relevant in a rapidly changing environment. The plan introduces flexibility and sustainability as two new policy thrusts, supported by seven strategic pillars and 49 high-impact initiatives. He said any revision to the government’s 2026 fiscal projections, if required, would be announced during the tabling of Budget 2027 after taking into account the latest economic indicators and revenue and expenditure performance for the first half of this year. “Nevertheless, the government remains confident that the medium term fiscal consolidation trajectory can be maintained through targeted subsidies, the reprioritisation of expenditure, continued efforts to improve spending efficiency, stronger revenue collection and tax compliance.” Liew was responding to Mohd Sany Hamzan (PH-Hulu Langat), who asked whether food subsidies and government aid would be reduced. He said Budi95 kept petrol at RM1.99 per litre even when market prices reached RM5, while ensuring supplies remained stable. “The government will not reduce any of the existing subsidies. That is the government’s position for now.” that enforcement

nearly RM40 billion for 2026, subject to developments in the West Asia crisis,” he said. Liew said this in response to Mohd Syahir Che Sulaiman (PN-Bachok), who asked how the conflict had affected fuel subsidy spending and whether the higher costs could derail the government’s 2026 fiscal deficit target. He further clarified that higher oil prices also increased petroleum related revenue, partially offsetting the additional subsidy burden. He said that every US$1 change in global crude oil prices is estimated to affect federal petroleum-related revenue by about RM300 million, excluding Petronas dividends.

Asia,” he told the Dewan Rakyat during the Ministers’ Question Time, yesterday. Liew said the government incurred almost RM800 million a month in subsidies for RON95 petrol and diesel in January and February before the

financial performance in the first half of the year, although the situation would be reviewed again by October. “For now, based on what we have seen in the first half of 2026, we do not see a need to change the projections.

expenditure surged to about RM5 billion monthly in March and April. The monthly subsidy bill than eased to about RM4 billion in May and June, while oil prices continued

AT THE DEWAN RAKYAT

to moderate in July. “If current market prices remain, the government is expected to bear petroleum product subsidies of

“But when we reach October, we will review the situation, particularly the impact of developments in West

Narrowing urban-rural education divide THE Education Ministry is aiming to slash the academic achievement gap between urban and rural pupils by a further 50% by 2035, building on gains made under the Malaysia Education Blueprint 2013-2025, which saw the disparity narrow by 26.23% in the 2024 SPM examination. using the average SPM grade based on locality, reflected the ministry’s continued efforts to improve education equality nationwide. Under the Malaysia Education Plan 2026-2035, the ministry is also targeting a 70% reduction in achievement gaps linked to gender and socioeconomic status. “From the equity aspect, we achieved a 26.23% reduction in the achievement gap based on the 2024 SPM average grade according to locality, namely between urban and rural areas.” He said the ministry had also recorded a 52.78% reduction in the gender gap among pupils qualifying for the SPM certificate while the achievement gap based on Education Deputy Minister Wong Kah Woh said the reduction, measured

Wong said the Malaysia Education Plan for 2026-2035 would place greater emphasis on ensuring equitable access to quality education, infrastructure and digital resources for schools in urban and rural areas. – BERNAMAPIC

621 Malaysians rescued from overseas job scams since 2021 THE Home Ministry has revealed that 621 Malaysians were rescued after being duped by overseas employment scam syndicates from 2021 until June 30 this year. intelligence cooperation involving the police, international law enforcement networks and Malaysian diplomatic missions. Emergency Response Network under the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC),” it said in a written parliamentary reply.

had strengthened digital forensic capabilities to identify syndicates, while working with the Digital Ministry and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) to remove fake job advertisements and scam platforms. “The National Scam Response Centre together with Bank Negara Malaysia, MCMC and financial institutions, had also been strengthened to enable faster tracing of funds and freezing of mule bank accounts.” At the domestic level, the ministry

The ministry also clarified that the 1,537 cases recorded in the first three months of 2026 referred to domestic part-time job scam cases, rather than overseas job scam cases. For overseas job scams, 21 police reports involving 24 Malaysian victims were received between January and June 30, 2026. “To tackle domestic scams, police

“Cooperation with the Foreign Ministry and Malaysian embassies in Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos and Thailand had helped speed up intelligence sharing, operations and rescue efforts. “Police utilise police-to-police cooperation through Interpol, Aseanapol, the Asean Heads of Specialist Anti-Trafficking Units and the

It said a total of 581 police reports involving 743 Malaysian victims stranded abroad had been recorded during the period, with 122 victims still trapped in Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos, with ongoing efforts being undertaken to bring them home. The ministry said the cases were addressed through cross-border