Bereft of income, BKC a blessing for the B40

 

Helpful initiative: Farhi-Hanim (right) is looking forward to expanding her business with the money from the BKC initiative. — CHAN BOON KAI/The Star

GEORGE TOWN: Kuih seller Norzalehawaty Abdul Rahman ended up with no income when she and four of her family members contracted Covid-19 recently.

For about one month, during their quarantine at home, the family relied only on the food and aid provided by the federal and state governments.

“My husband and I sell kuih for a living but we had to stop after five of us in the family tested positive last month,” said the mother of six children aged between six and 16.

The 36-year-old and her husband as well as three of their children were infected. They have all since recovered.

“With or without income, we have to pay the rent and utility bills,” she said when met at the Taman Manggis People’s Housing Project (PPR).

Norzalehawaty was therefore relieved to receive cash aid disbursed by the government to the B40 group under the Special Covid-19 Aid (BKC).

Phase One payments of the BKC were credited into the accounts of 10 million recipients from Sept 6.

The RM4.6bil aid package benefits the hardcore poor, B40 households and senior citizens as well as singles based on the eligibility criteria under the Bantuan Prihatin Rakyat (BPR 2021) aid package.

Single mother Farhi-Hanim Abdul Malek, 37, was also thankful to get the aid that would help ease her financial burden after she and her two daughters came down with the virus two months ago.

The mother of three children aged between 10 and 17 said she had previously supplied noodles to local shops and also took orders from her neighbours here.

“I could make about RM1,000 a month, but I have had no income in the last two months, so I am truly grateful to get the BKC as well as aid from the state Welfare Department,” she added.

Now that she has fully recovered, Farhi-Hanim is thinking of expanding her food business via social media.

“I will use the BKC to buy ingredients and pay for the arrears that I owe,” she added.

Farhi-Hanim said she also wanted to try selling handmade soaps and clothes on the digital platform. - Star