KUALA LUMPUR, July 23 — Several federal ministers today thanked Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim for making a special announcement on a series of new government measures that will benefit Malaysians, including a one-off RM100 for all Malaysian adults and reduced RON95 petrol price.

The ministers said these measures show the federal government’s focus on the people of Malaysia and on reducing their financial burden.

Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil expressed appreciation and thanked the prime minister for announcing these measures, which he said would provide relief to Malaysians and drive economic stability and economic growth, as well as strengthen the country’s fiscal resilience amid global uncertainties.

“This announcement proves the MADANI Government’s sensitivity towards the pulse of the ‘rakyat’, and commitment to reduce the burden through various forms of aid,” he said in a statement posted on his official Facebook page.

He said the government will balance the need to enhance the country’s financial position with the responsibility to take care of the public’s wellbeing.

Fahmi said the measures announced are the result of careful consideration and based on the principle of social justice and economic sustainability.

Separately, Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu said the measures showed a government that truly revolved around Malaysians.

“Since day one, that is our aspiration and direction, every sen spent, must be to uplift the dignity of the ‘rakyat’,” he said in a statement on his official Facebook page, having highlighted five of these measures.

Federal Territories Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zaliha Mustafa said “rakyat, rakyat, rakyat” was the tone of the prime minister’s announcement, adding that the government was committed to carrying out immediate steps to reduce Malaysians’ burden.

“Today’s announcement not only provides relief for millions of families, but also drives the country’s economic stability as a whole,” she said in a statement on her official Facebook page.

Among other things, she said the government will continue to ensure the public’s voices are heard and to prioritise their needs and continue to uplift their standard of living.

On her official Facebook page, Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek said the initiatives announced by the prime minister would help ease Malaysians’ cost of living and also reflect Malaysia’s convincing economic growth.

Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said Anwar previously could not fulfill his electoral promise to reduce fuel prices, as economic indicators were poor when he took over the government.

He listed those economic indicators as swelling debt, high inflation, high unemployment rates and relatively low foreign direct investment (FDI), and said Anwar needed time to fix all those indicators.

But Saifuddin Nasution said Anwar is now able to fulfil that promise amid improved economic conditions for Malaysia.

“Today, with the inflation at 1.5 per cent, the highest FDI in history, the ringgit strengthening against the dollar - so all those economic indicators have already created a conducive environment for him today to gift back to the ‘rakyat’ in the form of reduced petrol price starting October with a six sen reduction,” he said at Parliament in an audio clip made available to the media.

”Therefore I believe that as a responsible leader, he not only fulfilled the promise, but took time to restore the economy as that is a precondition to any announcements that he wants to make,” he added.

Saifuddin Nasution said Anwar had also focused on controlling leakages, preventing wastage and overspending, and anti-corruption messages, noting that this was aimed at improving the country’s financial position.

The minister said the RM100 one-off cash handout would be much appreciated by low-income groups who tend to spend more on food, and noted that this measure would also cause money to circulate within the domestic market and spur on the economy.

The minister said the freezing of highway toll hikes this year would help the public in terms of their cost of living, specifically transport costs.

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