
Bank Negara launches RESET initiative to tackle rising healthcare costs
KUALA LUMPUR: Bank Negara Malaysia is implementing a set of key initiatives, dubbed RESET, to address the increasing cost of medical care, said governor Datuk Seri Abdul Rasheed Ghaffour.
The initiative focuses on overhauling medical and health insurance and takaful, improving price transparency, upgrading digital health infrastructure, broadening access to affordable treatment options, and reforming healthcare provider payment systems.
He added that the initiative is supported by the Health Ministry, Finance Ministry, and other key stakeholders.
"The success of RESET hinges on the involvement of all stakeholders in building a more accessible and resilient healthcare system for Malaysians," he said in his welcoming address at the Sasana Symposium 2025.
"This issue will also be elaborated on in a panel session featuring Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad, Treasury Secretary-General Datuk Johan Mahmood Merican, World Bank senior economist Akash Mohapatra, and myself."
Meanwhile, Abdul Rasheed said that in driving Bank Negara's green agenda, the development of the Greening Value Chain initiative, introduced in Malaysia in 2022, is gaining momentum.
As the Asean Chair this year, Malaysia is also sharing its experience and learnings to support regional efforts in building sustainable and climate-resilient Asean economies.
"I am also pleased to announce that the Climate Finance Innovation Lab (CFIL), an initiative under the Joint Committee on Climate Change (JC3), has officially commenced operations.
"CFIL serves as a collaborative platform to develop and test new financial solutions for climate and nature-related projects.
"More details on this matter will be discussed tomorrow in the panel session Building Climate Journey: How Wide Ranging is the Funding Mechanism," he said.
The Sasana Symposium, themed Structural Reforms: Building Malaysia's Resilience, is taking place from June 17 to June 18 and aims to highlight discussions on structural reforms across various sectors.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


The Star
26 minutes ago
- The Star
Anwar praises EPF's efforts in enhancing retirement adequacy
KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has commended the Employees Provident Fund's (EPF) efforts in exploring new approaches to enhance Malaysian retirement adequacy. Anwar, who is also the finance minister, said he believes the involvement of the EPF and other government-linked investment companies (GLICs) signals a strong public-private partnership that will also enhance healthcare infrastructure, accessibility and quality, creating a system that can support all Malaysians. "We have to recognise and acknowledge that EPF has done remarkably well and they are continuing to explore new approaches to enhance retirement adequacy," he said during his opening address at the International Social Wellbeing Conference (ISWC) 2025 today. Anwar also highlighted that as people live longer, the focus must shift from lump-sum savings to sustainable retirement income. "We must also begin thinking about how to build a system that reflects greater solidarity, particularly for those with limited lifetime earnings. In our government's vision, no Malaysian should grow old in fear of poverty, fear of abandonment or fear of irrelevance," he added. The prime minister also highlighted that countries around the world are rethinking their labour and retirement policies in response to longer, healthier lifespans and evolving work preferences. "Many nations have begun adjusting retirement ages, balancing fiscal sustainability with individual desires for continued engagement - these reforms are accompanied by increased workplace flexibility and efforts to foster age-inclusive environments," he noted. According to Anwar, the country's economy is being reshaped by microentrepreneurs, gig workers and the self-employed, coming at a time when the labour market is undergoing structural shifts. He stressed that under the MADANI Economy, the government is committed to investing in digitalisation, inclusive innovation and small and medium enterprise (SME) growth. "Through programmes such as the SME Digitalisation Grant, the National Industry ESG Framework, and targeted support through Tekun and BSN, we are laying the groundwork for an inclusive, innovation-driven economy," he added. Also present were Finance Minister II Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan, Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil, Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad, EPF chairman Tan Sri Mohd Zuki Ali and Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar. The two-day ISWC 2025, themed "Living to a Hundred: Are We Prepared?", brings together more than 2,000 participants, 25 strategic partners and 24 distinguished speakers from across the globe. - Bernama


Borneo Post
30 minutes ago
- Borneo Post
BNM: Wage reform can ease inflation, cost of living pressure
Data from the 1Q 2022 to 2Q 2025 revealed that productivity per worker rose by 7.4 per cent, yet real wages declined during the same period. – BNM site photo KUALA LUMPUR (June 17): Controlling inflation alone is insufficient to alleviate cost-of-living pressures, said Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM), highlighting the urgent need for structural reforms to address stagnant wage growth and ensure that incomes keep pace with rising prices. Deputy Governor Datuk Marzunisham Omar said that although headline inflation has eased significantly due to timely monetary policy tightening, price levels remain elevated, thereby reducing household purchasing power amid moderate wage growth. 'From the first quarter of 2020 (1Q 2020) to the 1Q 2025, the Consumer Price Index cumulatively increased by 9.8 per cent, while prices for food and beverages rose even higher at 17.5 per cent. 'In contrast, nominal private sector wages per worker increased by only 7.9 per cent over the same period…So, in real terms, wages per worker declined by 1.9 per cent, hence why we are feeling the pressure of the rising cost of living,' he said. Marzunisham said this during a panel session on the topic 'Managing Inflation, Easing Cost: A Policy Perspective' at the Sasana Symposium 2025 hosted by BNM today. He pointed out that while it is commonly argued that wages should reflect productivity, data from the 1Q 2022 to 2Q 2025 revealed that productivity per worker rose by 7.4 per cent, yet real wages declined during the same period. 'This clearly illustrates, particularly at the micro level, a structural misalignment between productivity gains and wage growth,' he added. Meanwhile, he said Malaysia should focus on creating more high-paying and skilled jobs. This is where investments come into the picture, and attracting the right kind of investment is crucial to creating high-skilled jobs that lead to high income. He highlighted that Malaysia recorded very encouraging investment approval numbers in 2023 and 2024, and the percentage of high-skilled jobs in the economy increased to about 30 per cent, an increase from 25 per cent a few years ago. Marzunisham said that attention must also be given to the supply side, where policy interventions are necessary, noting the ongoing concerns from employers regarding the quality of graduates entering the labour market. 'Between 2022 and 2023, around 260,000 fresh graduates entered the job market. However, only about 150,000 high-skilled jobs were created annually during that period, resulting in a gap of nearly 100,000. 'That's why we see underemployment among graduates remaining high — about 36 per cent of our graduates are working in mid- or low-skilled jobs, simply because they cannot secure high-skilled employment,' he said. Additionally, he noted that employers are complaining that they cannot find the right skilled workers, which underscores the need to improve training and address the skill mismatch among fresh graduates. He also pointed out that some countries have adopted differentiated minimum wages based on skill levels, and emphasised the need to focus on the broader ecosystem that shapes how wages are determined. Marzunisham also highlighted that some countries have introduced differentiated minimum wages, where the minimum wage is set according to skill levels, adding that another focus area should be the overall ecosystem of how wages are determined. 'The collaboration and engagement between employers, employees, and government unions, for example, is important, so that all these actors, all these participants, come into engagement in deciding how wages should be increased in the country, rather than leave it to the public forces,' he said. – Bernama Bank Negara Malaysia cost of living Inflation wage reform

Barnama
an hour ago
- Barnama
Anwar Praises EPF's Efforts In Enhancing Retirement Adequacy
BUSINESS KUALA LUMPUR, June 17 (Bernama) -- Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has commended the Employees Provident Fund's (EPF) efforts in exploring new approaches to enhance Malaysian retirement adequacy. Anwar, who is also the finance minister, said he believes the involvement of the EPF and other government-linked investment companies (GLICs) signals a strong public-private partnership that will also enhance healthcare infrastructure, accessibility and quality, creating a system that can support all Malaysians. "We have to recognise and acknowledge that EPF has done remarkably well and they are continuing to explore new approaches to enhance retirement adequacy," he said during his opening address at the International Social Wellbeing Conference (ISWC) 2025 today. Anwar also highlighted that as people live longer, the focus must shift from lump-sum savings to sustainable retirement income. "We must also begin thinking about how to build a system that reflects greater solidarity, particularly for those with limited lifetime earnings. In our government's vision, no Malaysian should grow old in fear of poverty, fear of abandonment or fear of irrelevance," he added. The prime minister also highlighted that countries around the world are rethinking their labour and retirement policies in response to longer, healthier lifespans and evolving work preferences. "Many nations have begun adjusting retirement ages, balancing fiscal sustainability with individual desires for continued engagement - these reforms are accompanied by increased workplace flexibility and efforts to foster age-inclusive environments," he noted. According to Anwar, the country's economy is being reshaped by microentrepreneurs, gig workers and the self-employed, coming at a time when the labour market is undergoing structural shifts. He stressed that under the MADANI Economy, the government is committed to investing in digitalisation, inclusive innovation and small and medium enterprise (SME) growth. "Through programmes such as the SME Digitalisation Grant, the National Industry ESG Framework, and targeted support through Tekun and BSN, we are laying the groundwork for an inclusive, innovation-driven economy," he added. Also present were Finance Minister II Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan, Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil, Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad, EPF chairman Tan Sri Mohd Zuki Ali and Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar. The two-day ISWC 2025, themed 'Living to a Hundred: Are We Prepared?', brings together more than 2,000 participants, 25 strategic partners and 24 distinguished speakers from across the globe.