
National Social Council agrees to set up special committee on Islamic preschool education
PUTRAJAYA: The National Social Council Meeting No. 1/2025, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, has agreed to establish a Special Committee on Islamic Preschool Education.
Zahid, in a statement, said the committee aims to coordinate registration, curriculum development and teacher welfare at Pusat Asuhan Tunas Islam (Pasti) to ensure the delivery of quality, safe and structured preschool education.
"Today's meeting addressed critical national social issues, including the coordination of Islamic preschool education institutions and comprehensive protection for vulnerable children. It also discussed strategies to resolve registration, curriculum and teaching staff issues at Pasti," he said.
Zahid, who is also rural and regional development minister, said a proposal paper will be submitted to the Cabinet on a more structured and quality-driven early childhood education roadmap.
He added that the meeting also agreed to set up a task force to address social problems among school dropouts, including drug abuse and other social challenges that require urgent and targeted cross-agency action.
On the 560 children linked to the GISB Holdings Sdn Bhd (GISB) group, Zahid said the meeting agreed to implement integrated coordination involving various ministries, agencies and state religious institutions to ensure the well-being of all the rescued children.
He said monitoring, protection and welfare aspects of the children would continue to be strengthened in line with their rights as heirs to the nation's future.
According to Zahid, the government has allocated RM1.2 million to support programmes for identity development, parenting advocacy and comprehensive spiritual rehabilitation for the children.
He said the meeting also touched on the need to establish a long-term care (LTC) system for senior citizens, in line with Pillar 5 of the National Ageing Action Framework.
"The meeting resolved that drastic steps must be taken to reduce dependence on government financial resources through the restructuring of a more sustainable social support system," he said.
Zahid said it is estimated that 15 per cent of Malaysians will be aged 60 and above by 2030, with the majority lacking insurance coverage.
He said the National Social Council is not merely a policy discussion platform, but a unifying forum that brings together the strength of the entire nation, including the government, agencies, private sector, non-governmental organisations and civil society.
"This is the whole-of-nation approach needed to confront the country's social challenges with courage, inclusivity and sustainability," he said.
Zahid also called on all government machinery, NGOs, the private sector and civil society to strengthen cooperation, advance the national social development agenda, and drive the holistic well-being of Malaysians.
Hashtags

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


The Star
an hour ago
- The Star
Fair and inclusive policies key to effective poverty alleviation
AS Malaysians grapple with rising living costs and growing financial uncertainty, it is both right and necessary for the government to introduce poverty alleviation measures. However, no policy should seek to help one group at the expense of another. A truly effective anti-poverty strategy must be fair, balanced, and sustainable. Let's be clear: helping the poor must not mean punishing others. If a policy intended to "care for some" ends up "hurting many more," it deserves urgent review. MyKasih and Jualan Rahmah: Noble intentions, flawed implementation While MyKasih and Jualan Rahmah were launched with good intentions to support low-income households, their execution has created selective benefits and structural imbalances. This is especially harmful to small and medium-sized retailers, particularly in non-urban areas. 1. MyKasih – Targeted aid, but at what cost? MyKasih restricts recipients to spending their aid only at designated chain supermarkets. This excludes countless small, family-run shops in kampungs and towns that have faithfully served their communities for years. This raises serious concerns: Who is supporting the small traders who form the backbone of local economies? Why must one group's relief come at another's downfall? Even more troubling, many beneficiaries live in rural areas and must travel far to access approved outlets. This contradicts the principle of accessible, local aid. Meanwhile, excluded grocers lose customers with no way to appeal or participate. 2. Jualan Rahmah – Low prices with hidden costs Jualan Rahmah may appear to offer consumer relief, but in truth, it's government-funded price suppression for certain products, in certain places, at certain times. It benefits only a narrow group, while placing immense pressure on the wider retail sector. When these sales happen repeatedly in the same locations, nearby shops and markets face crushing, unfair competition. It's like saving one patient by evicting others from the ward—what seems compassionate causes broader harm. Our government must not act as both referee and player. Using taxpayers' money to distort the market ultimately hurts the very small businesses that also pay taxes and employ Malaysians. A call for fair, inclusive policy Real poverty alleviation must not create new winners and losers. It must support inclusive growth and protect everyone striving to make a living. If MyKasih continues to exclude local traders, and Jualan Rahmah stays concentrated in select areas, the imbalance will only deepen. The government's role is to set fair, sustainable rules—not run supermarkets. Let us not fight poverty by dividing the rakyat. We must aim for policies that lift everyone, not just a few. DATUK DR MAH HANG SOON MCA Deputy President


The Sun
3 hours ago
- The Sun
SST revision, expansion for equitable taxation, protection of vulnerable groups
KUALA LUMPUR: The Sales and Service Tax (SST) revision and expansion exemplify the government's commitment to progressive and equitable taxation that strengthens fiscal position while protecting those who need it most, said Finance Minister II Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan The minister said that as the government works towards the country escaping the middle-income trap, progressive taxation becomes an important tool for sustainable and inclusive growth. 'The approach is deliberately targeted where everyday Malaysians continue to enjoy zero per cent sales tax on essential and everyday goods: chicken, rice, vegetables, cooking oil, medicine, for instance. 'In addition, basic construction materials remain untaxed, and small businesses with revenue below key thresholds are protected through carefully calibrated exemptions,' he said in a post on LinkedIn today. On June 9, the government announced that it would implement a targeted revision of the Sales Tax rates and expansion of the Service Tax's scope, effective from July 1, 2025. The Sales Tax rate will remain unchanged for essential goods consumed by the people, while a rate of either five or 10 per cent will be imposed on non-essential or discretionary goods. The scope of the Service Tax will be extended to include new services such as rental or leasing, construction, finance, private healthcare, education, and beauty services. Amir Hamzah said the SST revision and expansion reflect an increasingly sophisticated tax system that reflects values of shared prosperity and, importantly, prevents the rich-poor gap from widening further. 'Instead, we are asking those with greater capacity to contribute more, which is why discretionary luxury items and imported premium goods will bear modest tax rates. 'Top-tier private education and premium medical services for non-citizens will also be taxed, ensuring that only the wealthiest citizens and residents contribute their fair share to the country's revenue base,' he said. Amir Hamzah emphasised that the additional revenue will flow directly back to rakyat-centric initiatives such as enhanced cash assistance via the Sumbangan Tunai Rakyat (STR) and Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (SARA) programmes, improved infrastructure, and better public services that benefit all Malaysians. 'Since announcing the planned SST expansion in Budget 2025, we have conducted extensive stakeholder engagements with industry groups and tax practitioners. The result is a policy that is both fiscally responsible and socially conscious. 'It is not easy to balance between broadening the country's revenue base while protecting the majority of Malaysians, but this latest announcement is a progressive step in that direction,' he added.


The Sun
3 hours ago
- The Sun
SST revision, expansion for equitable taxation
KUALA LUMPUR: The Sales and Service Tax (SST) revision and expansion exemplify the government's commitment to progressive and equitable taxation that strengthens fiscal position while protecting those who need it most, said Finance Minister II Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan The minister said that as the government works towards the country escaping the middle-income trap, progressive taxation becomes an important tool for sustainable and inclusive growth. 'The approach is deliberately targeted where everyday Malaysians continue to enjoy zero per cent sales tax on essential and everyday goods: chicken, rice, vegetables, cooking oil, medicine, for instance. 'In addition, basic construction materials remain untaxed, and small businesses with revenue below key thresholds are protected through carefully calibrated exemptions,' he said in a post on LinkedIn today. On June 9, the government announced that it would implement a targeted revision of the Sales Tax rates and expansion of the Service Tax's scope, effective from July 1, 2025. The Sales Tax rate will remain unchanged for essential goods consumed by the people, while a rate of either five or 10 per cent will be imposed on non-essential or discretionary goods. The scope of the Service Tax will be extended to include new services such as rental or leasing, construction, finance, private healthcare, education, and beauty services. Amir Hamzah said the SST revision and expansion reflect an increasingly sophisticated tax system that reflects values of shared prosperity and, importantly, prevents the rich-poor gap from widening further. 'Instead, we are asking those with greater capacity to contribute more, which is why discretionary luxury items and imported premium goods will bear modest tax rates. 'Top-tier private education and premium medical services for non-citizens will also be taxed, ensuring that only the wealthiest citizens and residents contribute their fair share to the country's revenue base,' he said. Amir Hamzah emphasised that the additional revenue will flow directly back to rakyat-centric initiatives such as enhanced cash assistance via the Sumbangan Tunai Rakyat (STR) and Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (SARA) programmes, improved infrastructure, and better public services that benefit all Malaysians. 'Since announcing the planned SST expansion in Budget 2025, we have conducted extensive stakeholder engagements with industry groups and tax practitioners. The result is a policy that is both fiscally responsible and socially conscious. 'It is not easy to balance between broadening the country's revenue base while protecting the majority of Malaysians, but this latest announcement is a progressive step in that direction,' he added.