Subsidi secara pukal bagi petrol RON95 telah menjadi isu utama kerana perbelanjaan besar yang mencecah RM81 bilion pada tahun 2023. Sebagai langkah mengurangkan beban fiskal negara, YAB Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim mengumumkan melalui Belanjawan 2025 bahawa golongan T15 atau mahakaya bakal dikenakan harga pasaran semasa bagi petrol RON95. Manakala 85% daripada rakyat akan terus menikmati harga subsidi RM2.05 per liter. Menteri Ekonomi Rafizi Ramli kemudiannya menjelaskan bahawa pengelasan subsidi ini akan didasarkan pada pendapatan bersih isi rumah berbanding pendapatan kasar bagi memastikan pengagihan lebih tepat. Kendatipun begitu, usaha ini harus dilaksanakan dengan berhati-hati umpama ‘menarik rambut dalam tepung, rambut tidak putus, tepung tidak berserak’ agar tiada pihak yang teraniaya.Rentetan cadangan untuk menetapkan ambang pendapatan RM13,000 sebagai syarat kelayakan subsidi telah menimbulkan kebimbangan signifikan, khususnya di kawasan bandar seperti Kuala Lumpur, di mana kos sara hidup jauh lebih tinggi berbanding kawasan luar bandar.

Golongan orang kurang upaya (OKU) acapkali menghadapi cabaran berat dalam memperoleh peluang pendidikan, pekerjaan, serta kualiti kehidupan saksama dengan masyarakat umum. Tanpa sokongan bersepadu, golongan rentan sebegini akan terus terpinggir dalam arus pembangunan negara. Oleh demikian, Belanjawan 2025 dibentangkan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim menyasarkan untuk merubah situasi ini dengan memperkenalkan pelbagai inisiatif bersasar bagi meningkatkan kebajikan dan kesejahteraan OKU. Dalam Belanjawan 2025, kerajaan memperuntukkan lebih RM1.3 bilion khusus untuk golongan OKU dan kebanyakan tumpuan mungkin diberikan kepada aspek kebajikan, terdapat implikasi ekonomi lebih besar di sebalik peruntukan ini. Menerusi pemberian sokongan kewangan, peluang keusahawanan dan pendidikan kepada OKU, kerajaan juga merangsang pertumbuhan ekonomi negara. Peningkatan peruntukan bantuan OKU kepada RM1.3 bilion berbanding RM1.2 bilion pada 2024 bakal memberi kesan langsung kepada ekonomi. Sebagai contoh, golongan OKU menerima bantuan kewangan bakal mempunyai kuasa membeli lebih baik terutama barangan dan perkhidmatan asas, seterusnya menyumbang permintaan dalam ekonomi domestik, terutama dalam sektor runcit dan perkhidmatan. Apabila lebih banyak pengguna membelanjakan wang dalam ekonomi, ia merangsang aktiviti komersial. Ini adalah prinsip asas dalam ekonomi permintaan, yang mana permintaan barang dan perkhidmatan meningkat akan memacu pertumbuhan perniagaan, terutama dalam sektor seperti runcit, penjagaan kesihatan dan perkhidmatan.

As Malaysia steps up to chair ASEAN in 2025, it has an ideal opportunity to shape the future of Islamic finance across Southeast Asia. With ASEAN’s dynamic blend of cultures, economies, and religions, the region offers a fertile landscape for Islamic finance, with Indonesia being home to the largest Muslim-majority population in the world. Notwithstanding, despite this potential, each ASEAN member currently navigates Islamic finance in isolation, resulting in uneven development, market fragmentation, and inconsistent standards. A unified approach - spearheaded by a cohesive masterplan, tentatively named the “Islamic Finance Masterplan for ASEAN Collaborative Transformation” (or IMPACT) - could unlock ASEAN’s Islamic finance potential, estimated to reach nearly $600 billion in assets by 2030 if nurtured effectively. ASEAN already represents one of the fastest-growing regions in Islamic finance, driven by its large Muslim population and increasing demand for ethical finance products. This masterplan could make Islamic finance more accessible, resilient, and inclusive, addressing the financial needs of over 240 million Muslims in Southeast Asia and beyond. With Malaysia’s recognized expertise and established infrastructure in Islamic finance, the country’s 2025 chairmanship presents a pivotal moment to champion this initiative. Starting with achievable, impactful strategies, Malaysia can set ASEAN on the path toward deeper regional cooperation.

Salah satu kekeliruan sering muncul dalam kalangan masyarakat ialah tanggapan kesemua entiti perniagaan menggunakan nama Islam mematuhi prinsip ekonomi Islam sebenar. Salah faham sebegini menekankan peri kepentingan pemahaman sebenar mengenai konsep asas ekonomi Islam, terutama sekali membezakan perniagaan benar-benar berlandaskan nilai Islam dan sekadar 'menunggang' agama untuk kepentingan komersial. Justeru, dalam sistem ekonomi Islam, setiap individu mestilah memiliki harta melalui cara hala, bebas dari riba, penipuan, rasuah dan eksploitasi. Prinsip asa ekonomi Islam adalah larangan riba dan penekanan kepada keadilan.

As of January 2023, Malaysia had 637, 537 registered persons with disabilities under the Social Welfare Department. Of this number, nearly 40% (235, 731) fall into the category of learning disabilities. Not all disabilities are visible or readily noticeable.

Malaysia’s blanket subsidies for RON95 petrol have come under scrutiny due to their significant share of the nation’s overall subsidy spending, which amounted to RM81 billion in 2023. In response, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced in the 2025 Budget that the top 15% (T15) of income earners will be required to pay the prevailing market rate, while 85% of the population will continue to enjoy the subsidized price of RM2.05 per liter. Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli later clarified that the classification for subsidies will be based on net household income rather than gross income, ensuring a more accurate reflection of a family’s financial situation. Despite the government’s goal of reducing blanket subsidies and better targeting fiscal support, the proposed RM13,000 household income threshold has sparked serious concerns. Many argue that this rigid cutoff could harshly penalize households, particularly in urban areas where the cost of living is significantly higher.

Anak berkeperluan khas sering memerlukan pendidikan khusus yang disesuaikan dengan keperluan unik mereka. Keperluan ini mungkin melibatkan pendaftaran dalam program pendidikan khas, mengupah tutor, ahli terapi pertuturan dan cara kerja atau mempertimbangkan pilihan persekolahan swasta yang lebih lengkap untuk memenuhi keperluan mereka. Justeru, demi memastikan anak berkeperluan khas mempunyai peluang untuk menjalani hidup secara mandiri, ibu bapa terpaksa berdepan dengan cabaran kewangan ketara yang boleh menyebabkan mereka terdedah kepada isu kerentanan kewangan.

This study pioneers the investigation into the determinants influencing Malaysian investors’ intentions towards Non-Fungible Token (NFT) investments, utilizing an extended Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use ofTechnology (UTAUT) framework. It explores the burgeoning interest in NFTs within the Malaysian market, an emerging economy, and identifies the behavioral adoption determinants critical for NFT investment decisions. Adopting a quantitative methodology, the research engaged 183 experienced Malaysian investors through a structured online questionnaire survey. The study employed regression analysis to assess the impact of Performance Expectancy, Effort Expectancy, Social Influence, Facilitating Conditions, Perceived Usefulness, Social Support and Perceived Trust on NFT investment intentions. The findings reveal that Performance Expectancy and Social Support significantly predict the intention to invest in NFTs, accounting for 47% of the variance in investment intentions. The study highlights the crucial role of perceived benefits and community support in shaping Malaysian investors’ engagement with NFTs, amidst the complexities of the digital asset landscape. The study acknowledges the limitation posed by its sampling method and size, suggesting the need for broader investigations that include a more diverse demographic to enhance the generalizability of the findings. Future research could further delve into the specific behaviors, motivations and challenges of NFT investors and creators. The significant predictive power of Performance Expectancy indicates a primary financial motivation among Malaysian NFT investors, suggesting policymakers consider regulations that foster innovation and growth in the NFT sector while safeguarding investors. The study also underscores the importance of community support, pointing towards the development of platforms that facilitate knowledge sharing among NFT enthusiasts. By demonstrating the pivotal role of social support in the NFT investment decision-making process, the research implies a powerful sense of community among investors in the digital asset space. It suggests the potential of NFTs to foster a more inclusive and accessible market for creative industry entrepreneurs, facilitating direct engagement and profit realization. This research marks a significant departure from existing studies by tailoring the UTAUT model specifically to the NFT investment context in Malaysia. It unveils the nuanced dynamics influencing NFT investment intentions, emphasizing the unique contributions of Performance Expectancy and Social Support, thus providing a fresh perspective on NFT adoption in emerging markets.

Arguably, the most significant difference between conventional and Islamic banking is the prohibition of riba (interest) - besides gharar (uncertainty) and maysir (speculation). Naturally, it is questioned whether rib? is the make-or-break selection criterion for Islamic banking customers in Malaysia. Consequently, this study examined the moderating effect of riba knowledge on the nexus between the already widely researched bank selection criteria (i.e., service quality, corporate reputation, cost and benefits, and technology) and bank selection among Malaysian Muslims. This research is quantitative, cross-sectional and non-experimental. It uses structured questionnaires to acquire and understand bank selection criteria and the moderation effect of riba among Malaysian Muslims. The sample comprised 244 Muslim customers with loan/financing accounts in banks in Klang Valley, Malaysia. This study uses exploratory factor analysis and structural model analysis for data analysis. The findings reveal three criteria - notably, corporate reputation, cost and benefits, and technology - that exhibit a significant correlation with bank selection. Despite the strong injunctions against rib?, it failed to moderate the relationship between bank selection criteria and bank selection. Additionally, the subsequent importance-performance test indicates that riba knowledge holds lower significance compared to the three significant criteria. Therefore, the authors believe there is a strong possibility that Malaysian Muslims, specifically in Klang Valley, may not factor the prohibition of rib? into their banking selection decisions. The items measured for knowledge of riba have not been widely tested and are not designed to assess the level of religiosity of the respondents nor the awareness of Islamic law behind the prohibition of riba. Nevertheless, this paper provides insight into the level of knowledge about riba among Muslims in Klang Valley, Malaysia and its possible moderating effect on bank selection. Future research could extend this work and examine the knowledge of rib? with respect to the level of respondents' religiosity and/or the awareness of Islamic law behind the prohibition of riba. Religious authorities, non-government organisations and Islamic banks could leverage these insights by uplifting and broadening public education, especially for the Muslim community, on the actual meaning of rib? and its implications in their lives and the hereafter. The lack of studies focusing on the subject of riba, its practice in conventional banking, and its prohibition in Islamic banking has often been overshadowed by research studies on adoptions and perceptions of Islamic banking and finance, which may have led to the negligence of its importance in choosing Islamic banking over conventional banking among Muslims in Malaysia.