The rich may not feel struggles of the poor, Anwar urges gov't to expedite Covid-19 aid

CORONAVIRUS | PKR president Anwar Ibrahim today urged the government to expedite its Bantuan Prihatin Nasional Covid-19 cash aid, pointing out that those who are better off might not share the poor's struggle to make ends meet.

Responding to the government's announcement on various reliefs under its RM250 billion stimulus plan, Anwar said the end of April disbursement date would be a burden for the most needy.

"Expedite distribution of aid, set aside bureaucracy and prioritise the poor and needy in society.

"People who are better off at times they fail to understand because their difficulties, difficulties faced by big business owners, difficulties of the rich, its not the same as the poor forced to continue making a living for their family," he said.

Anwar said while those who earned a monthly income could still find the delay in aid disbursement as reasonable, others paid daily wages or are currently out of jobs due to the Covid-19 outbreak, might not be in a similar position.

"I know this from personal experience dealing with the people and through our (PKR)'s machinery on the ground, from our MPs," said the Port Dickson MP.

Anwar's remarks today also came in the wake of outrage against at least two local fashion business owners over their allegedly insensitive remarks against the targeted aid recipients.

Others including several local artistes had also received heat over their demands for special assistance, despite a perceived glamorous lifestyle or being in a better off position than most of the targeted aid recipients.

Former premier Najib Abdul Razak last night similarly took a dig at the government, reminding that "Makcik Kiah" is waiting for her assistance.

"Makcik Kiah" was an example used by Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin in highlighting the slew of relief a regular Malaysian can receive from the RM250 billion stimulus plan he announced on March 27.

This includes an RM1,600 cash transfer to households earning less thanRM4,000 a month.

The Finance Ministry had said the first half of this amount would be disbursed at the end of April - after end of the movement control order on April 14 - while another half would come in May. - Mkini