The priorities raised in Kuching include better employment opportunities, targeted assistance, affordable housing, stronger education and skills development. Small-business support also featured, with calls for machinery, financing, training and help with digital marketing.

Students from Sarawak studying in Peninsular Malaysia highlighted travel assistance, clearer fuel-subsidy information and stronger support for skills and AI literacy. Those concerns sit alongside calls for price controls and aid that reaches rural and suburban households.

These are public expectations ahead of the federal budget, not announced allocations. The details to watch on Oct 9 are which measures receive funding, who qualifies and how the programmes will reach Sarawak’s smaller towns and rural communities.