Just before the Budget 2016 is to be presented later today, the Umno Youth movement has suggested that the Budget pays more attention to issues concerning the youths as well as the rising cost of living.

"Employment opportunities is a main focus of the youths, especially students who will be entering the work force soon," the economic and entrepreneurship development bureau chair of the movement Azlan Abdullah said in a statement today.

He said there should be a focus on entrepreneurship development which will help provide more jobs and business opportunities to people.

"To achieve this mission, the government should prioritise skills training and open up business opportunities.

"We also hope the government will prioritise the bumiputera entrepreneurs from rural areas so that their potential can be realised," he added.

He urged the government to focus on the education sector, specifically in terms of encouraging entrepreneurship.

"We think that education in Malaysia is too focused on creating workers instead of entrepreneurs without realising the importance of this field to the country's development," he said.

The government should also focus on relieving the burden of the rising cost of living, he said.

Perhaps there could be more GST-exempted items, like for basic necessity items, he suggested.

Another issue that concerns the people, he said, is the issue of expensive housing, especially for bumiputera.

"Everyone in Malaysia, especially bumiputera, are having problems owning houses due to sky high and uncontrollable prices," he lamented.

For example, Azlan said, the government should try to control the costs of housing projects so that there will be more affordable housing for the people.

Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, who is also the Finance Minister, will be presenting the Budget 2016 in Parliament today.