JOHOR BUDGET 2026: HIGHER ALLOWANCES FOR VILLAGE HEADS, TOK BATIN AND KAFA TEACHERS

ISKANDAR PUTERI, Nov 13 (Bernama) -- The increase in allowances for village heads, Orang Asli Tok Batin and Quran and Fardhu Ain (KAFA) teachers is among the 35 initiatives introduced under the Johor Budget 2026 to drive and transform state governance.

Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi said the allowances for village heads, Orang Asli Tok Batin and KAFA teachers would be increased by RM300 per month, from RM1,200 to RM1,500, beginning January next year, with an additional allocation of RM2.6 million.

He said the allowances for KAFA teachers would be increased from RM1,612 to RM1,762 per month, involving an allocation of RM5.92 million and benefiting a total of 2,150 teachers.

“In addition, one-off assistance for teachers’ rooms involving more than 54,000 teachers in 1,780 schools, including government religious schools, will be provided with an allocation of RM8.9 million,” he said.

“A total of RM10 million has also been allocated to implement programmes in collaboration with several leading international universities, including Oxford University, Harvard University, Stanford University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT),” he said when tabling the state’s Budget 2026 at Kota Iskandar here today.

Onn Hafiz said the Johor Artificial Intelligence (AI) Council has also been established to position the state as a regional AI and data hub by 2030, with an allocation of RM774,000 for the implementation of the Counselling Clinic Programme.

He said the initiatives announced under the Johor Budget 2026 are expected to strengthen governance and drive comprehensive transformation, ensuring that the state continues to progress while delivering sustained benefits to the people.

According to him, the move is not merely an ordinary policy implementation but a holistic effort to ensure that every policy is effectively translated, state revenue is managed prudently, and public trust is strengthened.

“Each of these initiatives serves as proof that Johor is progressing rapidly — not only in terms of physical development, but also in cultivating a culture of professionalism, solidarity and innovation for all,” he said.

Onn Hafiz today tabled the Johor Budget 2026 amounting to RM2.546 billion, an increase from RM1.999 billion last year, focusing on efforts to ensure the welfare and well-being of Johoreans while strengthening the state’s fiscal position.

-- BERNAMA