Perikatan Nasional (PN) has called on the government to retract proposed reductions in operational allocations involving the Ministry of Health (MOH) and the Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE), warning that the cuts could negatively impact essential public services.
PN Secretary-General Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan said the proposal by the Ministry of Finance to reduce government operating expenditure by RM10 billion under Budget 2026 is concerning, particularly the reported cuts of RM3.06 billion for MOH and RM2.39 billion for MOHE.
He said the move appears inconsistent with national priorities, as both sectors directly affect the wellbeing of the rakyat.
Takiyuddin noted that just six months ago, the government had allocated RM46.5 billion to the Health Ministry and RM18.6 billion to the Higher Education Ministry, signalling strong commitments to healthcare reform and higher education development.
He warned that the latest adjustments would see MOH facing a reduction of over six per cent, while MOHE could see cuts of up to 12 per cent, affecting two of the country’s most critical sectors.
According to him, the Health Ministry is already under pressure to meet rising demands, including more than RM6 billion required for medicines, vaccines, and medical supplies, as well as RM1.2 billion for maintenance and upgrading of healthcare facilities.
He said any reduction in funding would worsen existing challenges such as longer waiting times, overcrowded hospitals, and increased strain on healthcare workers.
On the education front, he said MOHE funding includes infrastructure maintenance, equipment replacement, and student assistance, including RM4.4 billion for scholarships, loans, and financial aid for underprivileged students.
Takiyuddin warned that cuts in this area could affect student welfare, institutional quality, research capacity, and graduate employability.
He stressed that fiscal discipline should not come at the expense of healthcare and education, arguing that the government should instead focus on addressing wastage and leakages rather than reducing allocations for hospitals and universities.
