KUALA LUMPUR — Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri Ramanan Ramakrishnan has welcomed the government’s 2026 New Year address, describing it as a clear demonstration of the Madani government’s commitment to public welfare, social justice and inclusive development.
“Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s address emphasised that economic growth must translate into tangible benefits for the people, with policies focused on well-being, fairness and long-term sustainability,” he said in a statement.
Ramanan highlighted the government’s recognition of the evolving economic landscape, citing the announcement of an additional RM100 million allocation through the Skills Development Fund Corporation (PTPK) to provide training and social protection for e-hailing and p-hailing gig workers.
“This initiative recognises the vital role of the gig economy, which supports daily mobility and contributes significantly to Malaysia’s economic activity,” he said, adding that the mechanism for distributing the funds is being finalised and will be announced soon.
The minister also noted that civil servants would receive temporary relief under the CP500 Instalment Directive.
“Civil servants who have mistakenly reported their income to the Inland Revenue Board (LHDN) will be given a transitional period throughout 2026 without penalties for unintentional errors,” he said, while emphasising that tax compliance remains essential to fund programmes such as Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah (STR) and Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (SARA).
Ramanan further outlined other welfare measures announced in the address, including RM100 SARA payments to citizens aged 18 and above beginning in February, as well as STR Phase 1 payments starting on January 20.
“We are also allocating RM200 million to improve facilities at Sekolah Agama Rakyat, tahfiz schools and related institutions, alongside RM80 million for Chinese national-type schools (SJKC) and RM50 million for Tamil national-type schools (SJKT) for essential upgrades,” he said.
In addition, the government will reduce the service tax on rentals to six per cent to help ease cost-of-living pressures.
“The Ministry of Human Resources remains committed to ensuring that these initiatives deliver real benefits to workers, families and the wider community,” Ramanan said.
“We will continue to support policies grounded in welfare, inclusivity and social justice to ensure that no group is left behind in the nation’s development.” — January 5, 2026