BPN: 'Will Makcik Kiah be disqualified over her goreng pisang business?'

Traders who filed an appeal to receive the government's Bantuan Prihatin Nasional (BPN) got a rude awakening this morning when they were disqualified because either they or their spouse had a business registered with the Companies Commission (CCM).

Instead, they had been told to apply for the Geran Khas Prihatin (GKS), a one-off RM3,000 aid for micro-scale businesses which does not need to be repaid.

BPN aid for those in B40 households earning less than RM4,000 per month is RM1,600 in total, with payout staggered in two phases.

DAP activist Syahredzan Johan said BPN is meant for survival, while GKS is for business.

Furthermore, he said that applications for GKS only opened this month.

"Imagine, applying for BPN in April. In May you learn that you're not eligible and have to apply for GKS, that is if you qualify.

"You only get money in June. What about the two-three months that have passed?" he asked in a Facebook message.

Syahredzan shared messages from traders, including pasar malam hawkers, and those who just started out in business with no profits, who were hurt by the BPN disqualification.

Malaysiakini understands that those affected include those who have registered for sole proprietorships or enterprises with the CCM.

Syahredzan, who is also Lim Kit Siang's political secretary, said that ironically this new ruling would hurt Makcik Kiah.

Makcik Kiah is a fictional BPN recipient who sells pisang goreng that Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin had used to illustrate the amount of aid Malaysians would get under the government's stimulus package.

"The irony is that, if Makcik Kiah registered her pisang goreng business with the CCM, she would not get BPN. Poor Makcik Kiah," Syahredzan said.

Malaysiakini has contacted the Finance Ministry for a response.

Earlier today, Finance Minister Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz announced 2.3 million new applications for BPN after an appeals process which was reviewed by the Inland Revenue Board (IRB).

The total number of BPN recipients now stands at 10.6 million.

Meanwhile, in a separate statement Bersatu Youth exco Muzzammil Ismail urged the IRB to review the BPN system, saying there were too many technical issues.

"Too many have expressed their disappointment at being disqualified, almost all of whom qualify to get aid and have been desperately hoping for aid after almost two months of not working," he said. - Mkini