PUTRAJAYA, August 6 - Addressing and reducing the cost of living will be given focus in Budget 2025, scheduled to be tabled in the Dewan Rakyat on October 18.

Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said that the issue of cost of living has been a persistent concern for the public and it is the government’s responsibility to provide relief for people who are affected.

“Although the prices for our sugar, oil, flour and cooking oil are affordable, many citizens still feel burdened. It is not comparable to countries like Thailand, Singapore, and Indonesia.

“Therefore in this budget, other than issues that we have been discussing, we must tackle problems such as cartels, monopolies, and factors driving up prices like fertilisers and seeds.

“With that in mind, the Ministry of Finance (Mof) must think of efforts which can cross ministries,” Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said at today's MoF monthly assembly.

Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who is also the Minister of Finance, said that the cross-ministerial initiative is seen as an effort in thinking and finding methods and ways to reduce the cost of living burden of the people.

The ceremony was also attended by Finance Minister II Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan, Deputy Finance Minister Lim Hui Ying and Treasury secretary-general Datuk Johan Mahmood Merican.