KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 18 — The Ministry of Communications is committed to ensuring that all announcements made by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim regarding Budget 2025 reach every segment of society across the country.

Its Minister Fahmi Fadzil said that the Department of Information and MADANI communities will be mobilised to achieve this objective.

"This initiative aims to ensure that the more than 50 initiatives announced by the Prime Minister are understood so that information is accessible to all levels of society.

"We will utilise not only social media, but also at the grassroots level,” he said at a press conference following the presentation of Budget 2025 at the Dewan Rakyat today.

Earlier, Anwar, who is also the Minister of Finance, presented Budget 2025, which allocates RM421 billion, of which RM335 billion is for operating expenditure and RM86 billion for development expenditure, excluding contingency reserves of RM2 billion.

Fahmi, who is also the government spokesperson, said that the improvement efforts outlined in Budget 2025 are founded on the principle of fairness, aiming to provide assistance to those who truly need it.

"In addition, we also see the overall commitment of the government to reduce the deficit and debts, including new loans.

"We cannot overlook that, alongside the salary increase for civil servants, the Progressive Wage Policy and the establishment of a new minimum wage rate demonstrate the government’s dedication to elevating the income floor for the people, which will become a reality starting next year, insya-Allah,” he said.

In Budget 2025, Anwar announced that the government has agreed to raise the minimum wage from RM1,500 per month to RM1,700 per month, effective Feb 1, 2025.

The government also decided to postpone the implementation of the RM1,700 minimum wage for employers with fewer than five employees for a period of six months, making it effective from Aug 1, 2025. — Bernama