KUALA LUMPUR, January 22 — DAP chairman Lim Guan Eng backed the motion to endorse the King’s speech in Parliament today but warned that Malaysia’s push towards a knowledge-based economy risks becoming a two-tier “K-shaped” economy, where growth benefits only select groups, urging urgent reforms in education and fiscal policy.
Speaking in the Dewan Rakyat, Lim said education reforms under the Malaysia Education Blueprint 2026–2035 must strengthen STEM learning, improve PISA rankings, and uphold merit to produce engineers and scientists skilled in new technologies and artificial intelligence.
While economically he cautioned that despite strong indicators such as 4.9 per cent growth in 2025, low inflation and a stronger ringgit, many households and small businesses were left behind. He called on the government to review expanded SST.
Ease tax burdens on MSMEs, raise personal tax relief, improve refund efficiency, and introduce targeted measures to reduce living costs, stressing that inclusive policies were needed to ensure prosperity is felt by all Malaysians, not just high-income groups and advanced sectors.
