SHAH ALAM - The 2026 Budget is set to be tabled next month and many young parents are hoping the government will prioritise measures to ease the mounting pressures of raising children in today’s economic climate.
From subsidies to affordable childcare and healthcare, parents said targeted allocations were urgently needed to help households cope with rising costs.
Childcare subsidies and household support
For N. Denathayalan, 34, a People’s Volunteer Corps (Rela) officer, the main expectation was for the government to introduce measures that directly ease financial burdens for families.
He suggested that subsidies similar to fuel support could be expanded into child allowances or household utilities, providing greater security for parents struggling to make ends meet.
Denathayalan said the soaring cost of living has become the biggest strain for families.
Grocery prices and rental rates in urban areas have left little room to save, while childcare costs eat into almost half of a parent’s salary, he added.
"Sending to a babysitter is expensive and even childcare centre fees are high. Kids’ health is also not like it was before; nowadays, there are too many diseases. One outing and my daughter is sick and then clinic or hospital costs pile up," said the father of a two-year-old daughter.
He added that job stability was another pressing concern.
"Maybe government jobs are safe, but private workers like us worry about risks," he told Sinar Daily.
Reliable childcare facilities
Event planner Muhammad Asyraf Ahmad, 29, said safer and more reliable childcare topped his list of priorities.
He said long working hours often forced him to leave his three-year-old son at a childcare centre or with neighbours, but worrying cases of negligence have made him wary.
"I hope the government will allocate funds to build more daycare centres we can trust. These days, we hear about babies passing away under the care of centres and I’m scared to take that risk. We need more legit, licensed childcare services," he said.
He noted that parents working shifts or on-call duties frequently have no choice but to depend on informal childcare arrangements due to the limited availability of safe, affordable centres.
Support for women entrepreneurs and early education
Meanwhile, entrepreneur Nur Azreen Natasya, 28, highlighted how parents who run small businesses face a unique set of challenges.
She said she expected the 2026 Budget to prioritise childcare support and affordable early education, particularly for self-employed parents.
With no employer-provided benefits, she said she found herself paying a significant portion of her monthly income for childcare, while also covering healthcare costs for her young child.
"Being self-employed means no paid maternity leave or childcare benefits. Childcare fees take up so much and if my child falls sick, clinic visits add up quickly," she said.
Natasya suggested that grants or incentives for women entrepreneurs with children could help them focus on both family and business. She also emphasised the need for affordable and high-quality preschools.
"Good preschools are expensive, but they’re so important for a child’s development. I hope the government increases allocations for quality, affordable early education programmes," she added.
Rising childcare costs despite relief measures
In the 2025 Budget, the government introduced several measures aimed at helping families with young children.
One of the key policies was individual income tax relief for childcare centre (taska) or kindergarten (tadika) fees for children up to six years old, provided these centres were registered with the relevant agencies.
The relief was RM3,000 annually. This tax relief was extended until 2027.
However, parents said these measures have not kept pace with rising costs.
Childcare centres across Malaysia have already signalled fee hikes of between 15 to 30 per cent, citing higher minimum wage requirements, increased utility bills and operational expenses.
This has left many families feeling squeezed, as financial relief introduced in past budgets risked being cancelled out by the rapid rise in living costs.