The Consumers’ Association of Penang (CAP) lauds some of the measures outlined in Budget 2026, but we are at the same time disappointed that the government is not taking more effective measures to protect the nation’s health and the environment.
CAP welcomes the introduction of the Lemon Law through the amendments to the Consumer Protection Act. CAP has been actively campaigning for a lemon law to protect car buyers from defective vehicles.
The Lemon Law is a remedy for purchasers of consumer products, particularly motorised vehicles, that repeatedly fail to meet the standards of quality and performance. We hope the Lemon Law is extended to new cars as well.
We are also glad that the government has agreed to table an anti-bullying bill at this parliamentary session. Mobilisation efforts such as awareness campaigns and skills-building programmes are needed to curb the phenomenon of bullying. Addressing both the behaviour and the underlying social environment, hopefully, will create a long-term cultural shift and prevent future bullying.
It is good that the welfare of the poor and the marginalised are being taken care of with more allocations to meet their needs and to address the increase in the cost of living. We hope that targeted subsidies are delivered directly to low-income and vulnerable groups, while ensuring that there are no leakages.
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Rebates for the purchases of energy-efficient appliances are a good move because they offer immediate financial savings for consumers and encourage the adoption of products that reduce long-term energy consumption and environmental impact.
We are very disappointed that the excise duty rate on cigarette products will only be increased by 2 sen per stick; cigars, cheroots and cigarillos by RM40 per kilogram; and heated tobacco products by RM20 per kilogram. These are too low to reduce the prevalence of smoking.
We are also disappointed with the minimal increase in the budget allocated to the Ministry of Health, with only RM46.5bn allocated for 2026, an increase of only RM1.2bn compared to last year.
Besides providing and improving healthcare services, the government needs to invest more in preventive measures and health promotion activities to reduce the long-term costs associated with treating chronic diseases and other health issues.
We were also hoping that more measures will be taken and a larger budget allocated to address pollution, prevent environmental crimes, ensure environmental protection and invest in community-led zero waste efforts. This is not reflected in this year’s budget. – CAP
AGENDA RAKYAT - Lima perkara utama
- Tegakkan maruah serta kualiti kehidupan rakyat
- Galakkan pembangunan saksama, lestari serta tangani krisis alam sekitar
- Raikan kerencaman dan keterangkuman
- Selamatkan demokrasi dan angkatkan keluhuran undang-undang
- Lawan rasuah dan kronisme
