Malaysia Budget 2027: PM Anwar faces cost-of-living and deficit test before election

[KUALA LUMPUR] Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s soon-to-be presented Budget 2027 will be scrutinised for his promise to deliver growth without losing fiscal discipline, as the country heads towards a high-stakes general election, and woes over rising household costs ratchet up.

Economists expect wage growth and cost-of-living relief to form the centrepiece of Budget 2027.

For investors, the spending bill will test whether Malaysia can build local industries around the semiconductor, artificial intelligence and digital infrastructure investments it has attracted.