PENANG’S strong economic growth is not measured solely by higher state revenue and investment inflows, but also by how its benefits are channelled directly to the people through various welfare initiatives, including the i-Sejahtera programme.
Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow (PH-Padang Kota) said the state government channelled the benefits of economic growth to the people through two main avenues, namely creating job opportunities and expanding businesses through investments, as well as using state revenue to fund public assistance, infrastructure development and public services.
He said RM50.93mil had been distributed to 281,135 eligible recipients under Phase One of the 2026 i-Sejahtera programme.
“Through the i-Sejahtera programme, the state government allocates between RM50mil and RM65mil annually, with particular attention given to groups affected by the rising cost of living,” he said during the winding-up session at the State Legislative Assembly sitting here today.
Chow was responding to a question from Pantai Jerejak assemblyman on how the benefits of economic growth were channelled to the people.
He said economic benefits were also extended through business development and investments, which created employment opportunities and helped local enterprises expand their markets.
“These efforts are supported through the Harapan Loan Scheme (SPH) and Micro Financing facilities, managed together with the Penang Development Corporation (PDC), to provide interest-free or low-interest financing to micro-entrepreneurs, small traders and hawkers,” he said.
Earlier, when presenting the Penang Budget 2027, Chow said the i-Sejahtera programme, introduced in 2009, remained one of the state government’s key initiatives to look after vulnerable groups, particularly senior citizens, people with disabilities, single mothers and housewives.
As at Sept 30 this year, RM57.8mil had been channelled through Phases One and Two of the programme, benefiting 299,504 recipients, he said.
Chow, who is also state Finance, Economic Development and Land, and Communications Committee chairman, said the state government planned to expand the programme in 2027 with the introduction of the Mempelai Emas initiative to recognise young couples who had recently tied the knot in Penang.
Under the new initiative, eligible couples would receive a one-off payment of RM500, with a total allocation of RM5mil.
He stressed that strengthening revenue collection and diversifying the state’s revenue sources were important to ensure the sustainability of funding for welfare programmes.
“Economic growth is only meaningful when its benefits can be enjoyed by the wider community, including through higher incomes, employment opportunities, home ownership and access to quality public services.
“Ultimately, the true measure of economic growth is not merely the amount of investments or the increase in state revenue, but how far that prosperity can be translated into better well-being and quality of life for the people,” he said.
Story by Edmund Lee