Budget 2026 was unveiled last week, with a reduced RM419.2 billion allocation. It offers RM10 billion in trade support and incentives for high-value sectors. Climate goals are also in focus, with plans for a carbon tax and expanded green incentives for businesses and households. We discuss all this with Yin Shao Loong.

Other stories we covered:

• Gang rape in Melaka school: Four Form 5 students in Melaka have been arrested for allegedly gang-raping a Form 3 girl in a school classroom. There has been backlash over the ministry's handling and language used in this case. We explore this with Ajeet Kaur, lawyer and co-chairperson of children's rights NGO CRIB Foundation.

• Influenza clusters on the rise: 97 clusters have been reported, mostly in Selangor schools. The Health Ministry says most cases are mild but urges precautions like masking and isolating sick students. We speak about this with consultant respiratory specialist, Dr Haji Helmy Haja Mydin.

• Bakun Reservoir cleared for bamboo project: A bamboo project near Bakun is clearing native forest and overlapping Indigenous lands. Communities weren’t consulted and are demanding the license be suspended. We speak to Fiona McAlpine, the Communications and Project Manager at The Borneo Project.

• Are Malaysians prone to brainrot?: Psychologist Prof. Datin Mariani Md Nor of SEGI University suggests Malaysians may be especially vulnerable to brainrot—a decline in focus linked to excessive low-quality online content—due to the country’s young population, high social media use, and limited access to offline leisure. We explore whether this holds true.

This BFM Budget 2026 Special is brought to you by Mah Sing — Reinvent Spaces. Enhance Life.

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