By Karen Bong
KUCHING, Oct 10: Malaysia government plans to expand the individual income tax relief of RM3,000 for fees paid to childcare centres or kindergartens for children aged up to six years, to also include registered day care or transit centres for children aged up to 12 years, effective from the year of assessment 2026.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the initiative reflects the government’s continuous commitment to ease the financial burden of working parents, especially mothers, while supporting early childhood care and development.
“In the hands of women lies the future of our nation. They make sacrifices that often go unsung, nurturing generations, driving the economy, and holding families together,” he said when tabling Budget 2026 in Parliament today.
He emphasised that women’s empowerment should never be regarded as an act of charity, but as a matter of justice that must be fulfilled.
Anwar also highlighted that women’s participation in corporate leadership continues to show commendable progress. As of Oct 1, 45 per cent of public-listed companies have achieved at least 30 per cent female representation on their boards.
“However, there are still eight companies without female board members. To address this, the Securities Commission will intensify efforts to further boost women’s participation in corporate governance and leadership roles,” he said.
Meanwhile, Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia (AIM) has maintained an excellent repayment rate of 99.97 per cent. To sustain its momentum, AIM has been allocated RM230 million to continue providing micro-financing to women entrepreneurs, bringing its total available fund to RM2.9 billion, benefiting more than 300,000 small business owners.
In addition, Bank Rakyat, BSN, MARA, and SME Bank have jointly allocated RM270 million in financing to support women-led micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
Anwar also announced that the government will assist 5,000 underprivileged single mothers who require legal aid for court cases such as divorce and child custody, ensuring they receive the justice and protection they deserve. — DayakDaily
