KUALA LUMPUR, May 2 — Puteri Umno chief Datuk Nurul Amal Mohd Fauzi today urged the government to strengthen support for young women in the middle-income (M40) group, warning that many remain overlooked despite facing mounting economic and social pressures.

Speaking at the Umno 80th anniversary, she said the challenge facing Umno today is not to favour either older or younger generations, but to bridge the gap between them.

“This group is not merely carrying the burden of daily living, but is also balancing responsibilities and expectations,” she said.

“It is now time for the government not only to provide temporary relief, but to build an ecosystem that genuinely enables young women to grow and thrive without limitations.”

Nurul highlighted young M40 women as one such group, describing them as often perceived to be stable and resilient, yet quietly grappling with the strain of rising living costs and competing responsibilities.

She added that many in this group are not only managing their own livelihoods, but are also balancing career demands with family responsibilities and expectations.

“They may appear strong and composed, but beneath that, they are struggling to cope with increasing pressures,” she said.

She also called on the government to move beyond short-term assistance and instead develop a more comprehensive ecosystem that would enable young women to thrive.

Among the measures proposed were expanding access to income-generating opportunities to ensure more inclusive economic participation, as well as strengthening childcare support through affordable, safe and accessible nursery services, including at workplaces.

She also proposed increasing tax relief for each child from RM2,000 to RM3,000 to help ease financial burdens on families.

In addition, Nurul said the Budi Madani programme should be extended to private diesel vehicle owners who have also been affected by recent policy changes.

“These measures are important to ensure that young women are not caught between the demands of their careers and their responsibilities at home,” she said.