7.2 MILLION PEOPLE APPROVED FOR BR1M

(The Star) – Almost a quarter of Malaysia’s 30 million population have been approved to receive the 1Malaysia People’s Aid (BR1M).

Deputy Finance Minister Datuk Chua Tee Yong said that out of 8.4 million applicants, 7.2 million had been approved to receive the aid this year.

“This is in line with the World Bank’s initiative that aid should be given in the form of direct and targeted subsidy,“ he said in an interview here yesterday.

Direct subsidy such as BR1M, he added, avoided “leakages” by which recipients might not enjoy the full benefit of government aid.

A total of RM5.2bil will be distributed to applicants, with people in Selangor receiving the most at RM726mil.

States with the least number of successful applicants are Negri Sem­­bilan and Perlis with 293,313 and 77,993 respectively.

Chua pointed out that BR1M was a channel which ensured that funds were properly used to help low income households.

“Moreover, it will stimulate both the rural economy and small and medium enterprises as these households will consume products (sold) in the local community,“ he said.

For those 1.2 million whose applications were rejected, Chua pointed out that 94% of the 500,000 who failed and appealed in 2014 were subsequently approved for BR1M.

Chua gave the assurance that those informed by the Inland Revenue Board that they were ineligible could appeal.

A sum of RM950 will be given to successful applicants whose household income is less than RM3,000, RM750 to those between RM3,000 and RM4,000 whereas single individuals earning RM2000 and less will receive RM350.