Kuala lumpur: Issues related to health and education were among the focus on the first day of debate on the Supply (Budget) Bill 2026 in the Dewan Rakyat today. Government Backbenchers Club chairman Datuk Mohd Shahar Abdullah (BN-Paya Besar) suggested that the government consider establishing the National Health and Social Insurance (NHSI) to provide complementary funds for the people's healthcare. According to BERNAMA News Agency, Mohd Shahar highlighted the low level of insurance and takaful coverage among Malaysians, particularly within the B40 group and the elderly. He expressed concern that only 54 percent of the population have life insurance or takaful coverage as reported by Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM). He pointed out that the B40 group and senior citizens often remain uninsured due to high premiums or limited income, leading millions to rely solely on the increasingly burdened public health system. Mohd Shahar also addressed the issue of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), which now contribute to 70 p ercent of the disease burden and 67 percent of premature deaths. The prevalence of these diseases increased to 38.1 percent in 2019, as per the National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS). Meanwhile, Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainuddin (PN-Larut) emphasized the importance of strengthening the integration between training institutions and industry for the effective implementation of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET). Although the TVET allocation for 2026 has increased to RM7.9 billion, Hamzah urged for better integration and strategy between industry and training institutions to position TVET as a key component of the country's economic development. Hamzah proposed that Perikatan Nasional encourages students to gain real-world skills by facilitating their entry into the industry and job market with confidence. Ahmad Johnie Zawawi (GPS-Igan) also called for the Ministry of Education (MOE) to implement the Dilapidated Schools Master Plan 2030, aiming to repair and rebuild 100 sch ools annually. He noted that as of last July, there were 555 dilapidated schools in Sarawak, with 361 schools deemed unsuitable for use and 194 considered unsafe.