Huge crowds, long queues at BSN Miri branch for Bantuan Sara Hidup cash

MIRI: Hundreds of people, many of whom have travelled from interior settlements, have gathered at the Bank Simpanan Nasional branch in Miri city.

They have been caught in long queues, which have spilled out onto the streets, to wait for their turn to get the RM300 cash from the Bantuan Sara Hidup (BSH) fund, formerly known as the Bantuan Rakyat 1 Malaysia (BR1M).

These long queues have been going on since Monday (June 17).

Jofri Jaraiee, PAS commissioner for Sarawak and Miri, visited the bank outlet in the city centre and expressed dissatisfaction with the method of dispensing the cash.

He said those who were eligible for the cash aid under BR1M were now required to queue up to fill up a BSN form to get the RM300 cash.

"During BR1M's time, the money was automatically deposited into the recipients' bank account.

"Now, they can only get the money from BSN, and the process is so messy.

"The Pakatan Harapan government need to sort out this problem. It is causing too much inconvenience.

"I pity those who have to travel from interior settlements just to come to Miri to get the money.

"Due to the long queue, many of them even have to rent rooms or squat on the streets for the past few days," he added.

Jofri said the government needed to come up with a more practical method to dispense the BSH aid.

Sarawak and Sabah are logistically complicated and geographically different from the peninsula states, he added.- Star