Malaysian youths call for 2026 Budget to balance relief, housing and skills development

SHAH ALAM - As Budget 2026 draws closer, young Malaysians are speaking out about their financial struggles and hopes for reforms.

From stagnant wages to rising housing prices, many felt that stronger measures were needed; not just to provide immediate relief but also to secure long-term job stability and opportunities.

For software engineer A. Karthik, 27, the rising cost of living has made survival difficult, particularly for low-income earners.

“On wages, I definitely feel that the current pay is not enough, especially for low-income earners. The rising costs of housing, vehicles and petrol make it really tough to sustain and I think the government should consider a stronger financial relief package that goes beyond what we currently have.

“There are existing housing schemes for youths, but I believe more assistance would always be welcomed because affordability is still a huge challenge and many young people are struggling to secure their first home,” he told Sinar Daily.

He said improving public transport was a more sustainable solution than focusing only on cheaper cars or fuel subsidies.

On government support for singles, he said he thought it was fair that families received bigger attention from the government, since families have heavier commitments.

“Still, I think the government should at least ensure our day-to-day living costs are sustainable, because singles too need security in handling basic expenses.

“Looking ahead, I believe skills-based education must be prioritised. With industries evolving and automation on the rise, low-income earners need access to training in new fields such as artificial intelligence and machine learning.

“Financial relief is necessary too, but it has to be more aggressive and targeted. I definitely support schemes like Australia’s youth allowance or the European Union’s (EU) Youth Guarantee.

“If Malaysia had something similar, it would really help young adults, especially during tough job market periods,” he added.

Karthik also praised the concept of work-study opportunities. He believed it allowed students who needed financial help to strike a balance, reduce their debt and achieve financial freedom much earlier.

Karthik added that he would definitely make use of programmes like Singapore’s SkillsFuture, which supported lifelong learning.

“Even after finishing tertiary education, young adults should have the chance to keep learning, especially in new technologies

Meanwhile, site engineer Ho Wei Zhang, 27, said his salary only stretched to cover the basics, leaving little room for savings.

As Budget 2026 draws closer, young Malaysians are speaking out about their financial struggles and hopes for reforms. - BERNAMA FILE PIX

That, he said was why he believed that Budget 2026 should not only focus on raising wages to keep up with today’s cost of living, but also provide measures such as tax relief for young workers, transport or food subsidies and more job opportunities—so that managing daily expenses does not come at the expense of planning for the future.

“Housing affordability is one of the toughest challenges facing youth. I would fully support youth-targeted schemes, whether through easier loans, lower interest rates or more affordable housing projects.

“With the right help, more of us can start building a stable future instead of being stuck renting forever.

“Plus, reliable public transport and affordable ride-hailing would help reduce the need for private vehicles. If buses, trains and Grab e-hailing services are reliable and safe, fewer people will need to drive, which reduces traffic, cuts costs and makes life more convenient for everyone,” he said when contacted.

As a single young adult, Ho noticed that most benefits were geared towards families.

He said there should be more support designed for those who were single, such as rental aid, lifestyle subsidies and community or mental health programmes to ensure they too can enjoy a good quality of life.

Ho also stressed the importance of balancing short-term aid with long-term stability.

“Financial relief helps in the short run, but skills and training matter more for the long term. Malaysia should explore youth allowances and guaranteed training programmes from abroad.

“Many youths here skip further studies or training because of cost, but with this kind of support, more would stay in education and prepare for the job market,” he added.

He also welcomed the idea of combining grants with apprenticeships.

He said direct grants would reduce student debt and ease the burden on poor and middle-income families, while work-study programmes would give students real-world skills and experience.

“If SkillsFuture-style credits were introduced in Malaysia, I would focus on developing leadership, management, finance, digital skills and sustainability—areas that would not only help me grow but also strengthen Malaysia’s workforce for the future,” he said.

Building maintenance technician Siddiq Haikal, 27, said wage hikes were not a sustainable solution.

For him, raising the minimum wage across the board was not the best solution because once wages go up, the cost of living will rise even higher.

“Businesses in food and beverages (F&B), automotive maintenance, supermarkets and other small industries would all increase their prices to cope.

“Instead, I believe that Budget 2026 should address essential costs directly. What I think works better is tackling the everyday cost of groceries and essentials.

“I have already seen some progress—raw chicken is now around RM5.80 per kilo, eggs and cooking oil are also more affordable with ceiling prices in place.

“I hope the government sets stricter guidelines on how high prices for essentials and services—like auto maintenance, raw F&B materials and construction costs—can go, because that would be a big help,” he said.

On housing, Siddiq pushed back against the idea of introducing more youth-focused schemes. He said what was really needed was stronger control over housing prices, which continued to rise every year.

Despite the market being filled with unsold homes, he said developers kept rolling out new projects, while many young people were left with no choice but to rent.

When it came to transport, Siddiq pointed out the need for greater investment in public transit.

“Services like LRT, MRT and Monorail are good but mainly serve urban areas, while KTMB connects rural and urban.

“If the Transport Ministry works more closely with KTMB, we could build a more reliable and extensive system that reduces reliance on cars, cuts emissions and even lowers traffic accidents nationwide,” he added.

Unlike many, Siddiq said he did not think singles were being left out. He believed the real issue was that people were often unaware of what they qualified for or they do not take the time to explore the options available.

In Selangor, for instance, Siddiq pointed out that youths can apply for free medical cards, access affordable housing through Rumah Selangorku and even secure funding to start their own businesses.

“On Budget 2026’s priorities, I believe that financial relief can help in the short term, but in the long run, it risks putting the country deeper in debt. Instead, the government should encourage companies to hire more locals rather than relying heavily on foreign workers.

“At the same time, young people need to be shown that doing manual labour is not shameful. If leaders highlight and appreciate locals who take on these jobs, it could shift mindsets and strengthen the workforce from within,” he said.