‘Will my job still exist in 10 years’ time?’: Ahead of Budget 2027, youth minister sums up young Malaysians’ fears

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 3 — Malaysian youths today have three main concerns, including whether their existing jobs would still exist in the next decade, Youth and Sports Minister Dr Mohammed Taufiq Johari said today.

Speaking at the Perdana Fellows Alumni Association’s (PFAA) Youth Economic Forum 2026 (YEF 2026), Dr Taufiq said his ministry had been part of a Budget roadshow in six zones nationwide to engage with youths ahead of the government’s upcoming Budget 2027.

He noted that the youths did not ask theoretical questions, and summarised their questions as revolving around three main concerns.

“Firstly, can youths bear the cost of living?

“Secondly, will my job today still exist 10 years from now? And the third question that is frequently mentioned by youths, if I fall, who will help me?” he said ahead of the tabling of the government’s Budget 2027 in Parliament next Friday.

Dr Taufiq said the panel discussions at today’s YEF on artificial intelligence, talent, green energy and social protection would answer these questions, as youths would not feel the benefits of government policies if those policies fail to address their anxieties.

While saying that youths are often told to be strong and to upskill themselves, Dr Taufiq said that being strong or resilient is not a policy.

“Being strong is what the public is forced to do temporarily while they wait for policies to come. Our duty is to create a protection system that is strong enough so that Malaysia’s youths do not have to ‘bersusah payah’ (toil) to be heroes just to continue living,” he said.

He added that the federal government is currently working on raising both the ceiling and the floor of the economy to ensure that all citizens feel the benefits from foreign direct investments into Malaysia.

He thanked the youths for their proposals on developing the country, and expressed hope that they could also help build the nation together.

At the YEF 2026, which carried the theme of “Decoding the Next Decade: Advancing Malaysia’s Economic Frontier”, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim received six policy proposals that the PFAA had developed based on a nationwide survey of more than 2,000 youths.

The six proposals covered artificial intelligence (AI), green entrepreneurship, skills development, better public services, foreign direct investment, and establishing a National Youth Economic Action Council to give youths a permanent platform to make economic policies.

Anwar also received a memorandum on the youths’ proposals for Budget 2027 at the forum.