KUALA LUMPUR:Following are the highlights of Budget 2021 tabled in Dewan Rakyat today by Finance Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz.<br /> <br /> The budget is themed 'Teguh Kita, Menang Bersama' (Our Resilience, Our Collective Victory)<br /> <ul> <li> RM1 billion to be allocated in 2021 to contain the third wave of COVID-19, which is additional to RM1.8 billion allocated in 2020</li> </ul> <ul> <li> RM500 one-off allowance for Ministry of Health frontliners</li> </ul> <ul> <li> Tax relief increased to RM8,000 for parents' medical, special needs and care expenses</li> </ul> <ul> <li> Aid for disabled people unable to work increased from RM250 to RM300</li> </ul> <ul> <li> Disabled workers allowance increased to RM450</li> </ul> <ul> <li> Employees minimum EPF contribution reduced to 9 per cent from January 2021</li> </ul> <ul> <li> Bantuan Sara Hidup aid package replaced with Bantuan Prihatin Rakyat with better rate and income categories</li> </ul> <ul> <li> RM500 can be withdrawn monthly from EPF Account 1 up to RM6,000 within 12 months.</li> </ul> <ul> <li> Households with monthly income below RM2,500 with at least one child to receive RM1,200 under Bantuan Prihatin Rakyat (BPR)</li> </ul> <ul> <li> BPR to benefit 8.1 million people with allocation of RM6.5 billion</li> </ul> <ul> <li> Rubber Productivity Incentive doubled to RM300 million to stabilise income of 150,000 smallholders</li> </ul> <ul> <li> Fishermen's cost of living allowance raised to RM300</li> </ul> <ul> <li> RM3.7 billion allocation under Janakerja, aimed to create 500,000 new jobs</li> </ul> <ul> <li> Formation of National Employment Council to coordinate initiatives to create job opportunities, upskilling and trainings</li> </ul> <ul> <li> Education fees tax relief scope expanded to include course expenses.</li> </ul> <ul> <li> RM21 million for social support centres to address domestic violence</li> </ul> <ul> <li> RM10 million for cervical cancer screening and mammogram test subsidy incentives for women at high risk of breast cancer</li> </ul> <ul> <li> Grant for Rukun Tetangga raised to RM6,000 with allocation of RM50 million</li> </ul> <ul> <li> RM158 million for wellbeing of Orang Asli including social assistance programmes</li> </ul> <ul> <li> Tax relief limit for disabled couples increased to RM5,000</li> </ul> <ul> <li> RM170 million for early childhood education programmes by JKM, including management and upgrading of nurseries and kindergartens</li> </ul> <ul> <li> RM15 million for CENDANA to implement arts and culture programmes</li> </ul> <ul> <li> RM2.7 billion for upgrading rural infrastructure</li> </ul> <ul> <li> RM55 million for hockey, rugby, badminton, cycling, female athlete development programmes including RM15 million for e-Sports</li> </ul> <ul> <li> Tax relief for lifestyle raised to RM3,000 with additional RM500 for sports related expenses</li> </ul> <ul> <li> RM103 million to build, upgrade and maintain sports facilities nationwide</li> </ul> <ul> <li> RM75 million for eBelia programme with RM50 one-off to be credited into e-wallet accounts for those aged 18-20</li> </ul> <ul> <li> RM500 million to implement JENDELA initiative to ensure connectivity for 430 schools nationwide</li> </ul> <ul> <li> MCMC to allocate RM7.4 billion for 2021 and 2022 to build and upgrade broadband services</li> </ul> <ul> <li> Education Ministry gets highest allocation at RM50.4 billion or 15.6 per cent of overall government expenditure</li> </ul> <ul> <li> RM725 million to upgrade buildings and infrastructure in 50 dilapidated schools</li> </ul> <ul> <li> RM45 million to provide special needs stream for special needs children in schools</li> </ul> <ul> <li> RM14.4 billion to be allocated for Higher Education Ministry</li> </ul> <ul> <li> RM6 billion to be allocated for TVET in 2021</li> </ul> <ul> <li> RM500 million to build 14,000 PPR units</li> </ul> <ul> <li> RM50 million for training and placements of 8,000 airline employees in Malaysia</li> </ul> <ul> <li> RM50 million for maintaining and upgrading tourism facilities nationwide</li> </ul> <ul> <li> Special Financial Assistance of RM600 each for civil servants Grade 56 and below</li> </ul> <ul> <li> Government pensioners and non-pensionable veterans will get Special Finance Assistance of RM300 each</li> </ul> <ul> <li> Sabah and Sarawak to receive Development Expenditure allocation of RM5.1 billion and RM4.5 billion respectively</li> </ul> <ul> <li> Traders, hawkers, e-hailing, taxi, rental car and tour drivers in Sabah to receive RM1,000 under Prihatin special grant</li> </ul> <br /> --BERNAMA