KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 8 (Bernama) -- Bursa Malaysia closed almost flat on Tuesday as buying interest rotated away from index heavyweights towards smaller-cap construction stocks, with sentiment affected by geopolitical uncertainty, said an analyst. At 5 pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) eased 0.39 of a point to 1,714.40 from Monday’s close of 1,714.79. The benchmark index opened 1.65 points lower at 1,713.14 and moved between 1,710.44 and 1,714.50 throughout the trading session. The broader market was almost evenly balanced, with decliners leading gainers 548 to 546, while 598 counters were unchanged, 1,107 were untraded and 25 were suspended. Turnover expanded to 4.13 billion units valued at RM3.14 billion from 3.60 billion units valued at RM2.45 billion on Monday.
The Madani Government has demonstrated its commitment to addressing the cost-of-living challenges faced by Malaysians through an enhanced Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah (STR) initiative. With an allocation increase to RM13 billion in Budget 2025, up from RM10 billion previously, this marks the largest funding boost for STR to date. Supporting Households Amid Rising Costs Economist Prof Dr Barjoyai Bardai from Malaysia University of Science and Technology emphasized the importance of STR in easing financial burdens for households. While the aid may not cover the full cost of living for families—estimated at over RM3,000 monthly—it provides meaningful support to supplement household incomes. Sustainable Aid Mechanism Proposed Barjoyai suggested creating an endowment fund through a social security institution capable of generating annual income. This mechanism would ensure sustainable STR funding, reducing reliance on annual government budgets. Expan...