Budget 2027: Students, universities are also given attention - Anwar

PUTRAJAYA, 1 Oct: Student and university needs are among the issues to be considered in preparation of Budget 2027.

The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said that this time the budget preparation should take into account various demands from all walks of life, departments and ministries which each have their own needs and rationality.

"The demand covers various fields and communities including fishermen in Terengganu, communities in Kedah, Iban houses in Sarawak as well as the technology and artificial intelligence (AI) sector.

"So hopefully I can communicate what I can within the limits", he said.

He said this when he was addressing the inaugural 2026 National Student Achievement Awards here, today.

It was attended by Minister of Higher Education, Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir and Deputy Minister of Education, Adam Adli Abdul Halim.

Commenting further, Anwar said that he had to cancel almost all events scheduled within two to three days in order to focus on preparation of Budget 2027.

"All in two or three days I canceled because I had to concentrate on preparing the national budget.

"And as you know, these budgets, they're all asking for funding, they're all asking for attention. Thousands of associations, hundreds of departments and dozens of ministries", he said.

Meanwhile, Anwar urged students especially Generation Z to have a high level of awareness and passion for bringing change and defending the destiny of the people.

He believes that the period of study at university should not only be used to foster knowledge, but also to shape faith, morals, virtue, personality and identity.

"So there must be a revival, a new spirit among this generation Z, which is a high level of consciousness and I believe in the passion for service to defend fate, to rejoice in goodness, to hate failure.

"It must be among the young", he said.

He also reminded the recipients of the Student Achievement Award not only to pursue academic excellence, but also have the drive and desire to bring about change in society and country.

Anwar said that students also need to understand the problems of society and country and not be too attached to their respective fields of specialization.

At the same time, he urged students from different races and regions to continue maintaining unity and play a role in reducing the gap between races, regions as well as rich and poor. - TVS