Support for Malaysians available as expanded Sales and Service Tax begins

PETALING JAYA - With the expanded Sales and Service Tax (SST) kicking in on July 1, prices of many items are expected to rise.

But it’s not all bad news.

There are a host of support mechanisms in place for not just the B40 but also M40 households to ensure they can cope.

Government initiatives – from direct cash aid and electricity rebates to healthcare schemes and discount cards – are available to help ease the burden and stretch every ringgit further.

Most of these require registration, which can easily be done online.

Many of these support programmes have been around for years, with millions of Malaysians already benefitting from them.

However, many remain unaware of the assistance available, says economist Professor Barjoyai Bardai.

For M40 households earning below RM100,000 (S$30,321) a year, the support measures include the mySalam health takaful, which offers critical illness coverage and hospital income aid.

The Skim Jaminan Kredit Perumahan (SJKP) also provides housing loan guarantees of up to RM500,000 for M40 and self-employed individuals.

Additionally, the Kad Pekerja Madani gives unionised workers access to discounts of up to 30 per cent on essentials, travel and services.

“The problem with Malaysian consumers is their perception.

“They’re quick to assume the worst, often thinking: ‘What other burdens are going to be placed on my shoulders today?’,” said Prof Barjoyai, adding that if people changed their mindsets and started looking for positives, they would see how these initiatives can really help.

“Yes, the government can always improve by, say, increasing the aid amount.

“But these programmes exist, and people should take advantage of them.”

Prof Barjoyai suggested that the government consider tapping into widely-used platforms like WhatsApp to send information directly to the public.

“That’s where people are most active, and a simple message highlighting the programmes