More target aid for B40 group

KUALA LUMPUR: The government is to continue with the ‘Bantuan Sara Hidup’ aid for the B40 group, with improvements by way of more targeted assistance and depending on household size from January 2019.

Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng, in tabling Budget 2019 in the Dewan Rakyat yesterday, said that under the BSH programme, households with monthly income of RM2,000 and below will receive an aid of RM1,000 and households with income of RM2,001 to RM3,000 will receive an aid of RM750.

A BSH aid of RM500 will also be given to households with an income of RM3,001 to RM4,000, he said.

As an improvement, he said, the government will also introduce an additional BSH of RM120 for every child aged 18 and below, limited to four children, except children with special needs where there is no limit on the age.

“For example, a household with a monthly income of RM2,000 and below and having four children will receive a BSH aid of RM1,480. This is higher than the existing BR1M (1Malaysia People’s Aid) of RM1,200,” he said.

Lim said it is estimated that 4.1 million households will continue to receive the BSH aid, with the government allocation amounting to RM5 billion.

The giving of the BSH aid is one of the eight measures that the government will implement to ensure the welfare and quality of life of the people, he said.

Lim said that under Budget 2019, which has the theme ‘Malaysia Wibawa, Ekonomi Dinamik, Rakyat Sejahtera’ (Credible Malaysia, Dynamic Economy, Prosperous Rakyat), RM45 million is also allocated for the i-SURI programme – an Employees Provident Fund (EPF) scheme for housewives.