The intervention could stabilise the fees, sources say, which otherwise were set to jump given runaway wholesale power prices and rising operational costs for the transmission grid companies.

Future electricity tariff decisions will be based on the imbalance cost past through mechanism which depends on the price of fuel at the global level.

This is to ensure that only those truly in need benefit from such initiatives, it says.

Questions will also be raised on so-called doctors selling cosmetics on social media and measures to ensure that first home buyers are not bogged down with bank loan repayment charges due to stalled projects.

Ismail Sabri Yaakob says security will remain a national priority.

He says efforts are underway to ensure that the allocations set aside for the deserving groups are not arbitrarily enjoyed by irresponsible parties.

Cutbacks on government programmes and limits on civil service allowances are among the measures laid out.

While government subsidies keep tuition fees low at public varsities, this could have a knock-on effect on other matters.

He says the higher subsidies have resulted in a lower core inflation rate of 2.3%.

Authorities say the strength of sales in the sector means state support is no longer needed.

These include highly skilled workers who had earned RM4,000 and above each month.

Government says the increase in amount from the last budget took into account the heightened need for assistance.