BR1M helps growth of local economy — MB

KUALA TERENGGANU: The 1Malaysia People’s Aid (BR1M) should be continued because it provides many benefits to the target groups and helps the local economy.

Terengganu Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Razif Abdul Rahman said he was disappointed with the allegations made by former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad likening BR1M to giving bribes to the people.

“This is his view, we feel very disappointed, that as a prominent statesman and former premier of the country, he can’t differentiate between a bribe and an aid.

“BR1M recipients will not spend outside the country, in fact they will shop in their local areas and boost business for small shopkeepers around the city or town, and indirectly BR1M has helped the local economy,” he told reporters after feting two national silat athletes here, yesterday.

Ahmad Razif said if the people who received BR1M were asked about it, they would certainly not regard it as a bribe, as it was only intended to reduce the financial burden on people with low incomes.

“According to his (Mahathir) interpretation everything we give is a bribe.

This is something that is not right. So, in fact today, this is the best way that the government has implemented. So I do not know if Tun Mahathir is envious because he was not able to do this during his time, because during his time it was done through the awarding of projects.

“The country experienced an economic crisis in 1999, and what was implemented at the time was that Tun Mahathir gave projects to the contractors to build schools, build school fences,” he said, adding that G1 contractors were also upgraded to receive projects worth up to RM200,000, up from RM100,000.

“This was done during Tun Mahathir’s time. This means even that can be considered corruption, if what is being given today is considered bribery, then what was given at the time was also a bribe.. bribes to contractors.

“But what was done by Tun Mahathir during the time is the same as what Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak is doing currently. It’s the same, as at that time it was given to stimulate the growth of the domestic economy, just like BR1M,” he said. - Bernama