Summary

  • Perikatan Nasional's counteroffer to the government's Budget 2026 comprises financial aid of up to RM6,000 a year to needy households.

  • Opposition leader Hamzah Zainudin says this is better than the limited and conditional Sara aid.

  • He says PN also offers free education at the undergraduate level to the needy.

PARLIAMENT | Perikatan Nasional has issued a counteroffer in welfare aid to Malaysians, in response to the recently tabled Budget 2026.

Branding the government’s Rahmah Necessities Aid (Sara) programme as conditional and limited in nature, opposition leader Hamzah Zainudin (PN-Larut) instead proposed RM500 through its Bantuan Prihatin Nasional (BPN) scheme.

"We in PN will give aid, and we will give to the people what they need," he asserted, calling BPN a much better form of welfare aid.

Sara aid is a credit to the MyKad of recipients and can be claimed through over 4,100 participating supermarkets and stores nationwide.

Under Budget 2026, which Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim tabled on Oct 10, aid programmes have been restructured.

Through the Rahmah Cash Aid (STR), families will receive the same total value of aid, but there will be less cash aid and more credits to purchase groceries and household goods.

Specifically, STR payouts will be RM300 lower across the board for households. However, this is balanced by an RM300 increase in Sara aid to a minimum of RM1,200.

Hamzah (above) said PN will also offer free education at the undergraduate level to the needy, especially those who fall under BPN.

"PN will also ensure that any students who qualify based on merit will be given scholarships to complete their first degree studies in strategic fields.

"At the same time, autonomy to public higher education institutions will be expanded through the Endowment Fund, especially involving research universities," he added.

‘Who’s your PM candidate?’

Later in Hamzah's speech, DAP's Khoo Poay Tiong (Harapan-Kota Melaka) interjected to ask after the opposition's prime ministerial candidate.

Hamzah told him, "All of us (PN) here know who the prime ministerial candidate is.

"If Kota Melaka wants to know, then please join PN."

The main parties within the opposition, Bersatu and PAS, have displayed conflict over their prime ministerial candidates.

Bersatu has touted party president and former prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin as its choice, although internal friction indicates that a faction within the party prefers Hamzah.

On the other hand, PAS Youth, during the party's recent muktamar, proposed deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man as its first choice.

PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man

PAS Youth delegates also unanimously passed a resolution to urge party leadership to take over PN.

During the last general election, Muhyiddin was selected as PN's prime ministerial candidate.

However, PAS went on to win 43 seats - the biggest win of any party contesting for seats in the Dewan Rakyat.

Reporting by Zarrah Morden, Hariz Mohd, Shakira Buang

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