EPU: Single parents with dependents to receive full BKSS incentive next month
KUCHING: Eligible single parents with dependents will receive the full incentive payment of the Sarawakku Sayang Special Assistance ( BKSS) B40 Head of Household payment next month, said the Economic Planning Unit (EPU) in the Chief Minister’s Department.
It said in a statement yesterday that efforts were being made by the Inland Revenue Board of Malaysia ( IRBM) to verify the status of single parents with dependents.
“If they are single parents without dependents, then they will only receive the BKSS B40 for Singles, and the payment (for BKSS B40 Head of Household) will be terminated,” the EPU said, adding that based on information of B40 Head of Household obtained from IRBM in March 2020, a total of 406,243 household heads were eligible to receive financial incentives of RM250 per month for a period of six months.
“They have been paid from April to June with an allocation of RM304.68 million,” it said.
It also said the state government has taken note of the change of status for 81,120 initial recipients of the BKSS B40 Head of Household to single parents without dependents.
“As such, the Sarawak government has postponed the payment to these 81,120 recipients,” it added.
EPU said recent allegations which claimed that payment of BKSS B40 Head of Household was cancelled is not true as single parents with dependents will be paid once the confirmation of status has been made.
“The Sarawak government is concerned with the people’s welfare and will ensure that those affected will receive appropriate assistance,” it said, adding that the BKSS 2020 was implemented to reduce the burden of the people particularly those from the lowincome group during this Covid-19 pandemic. The state government had also assisted singles from the B40 group under BKSS.
“Based on information from IRBM in April, a total of 114,683 single individuals are eligible to receive a one-time financial incentive of RM500 which was paid in May with a total of expenditure of RM57.21 million.
“Overall, there are 520,926 recipients of the BKSS B40 incentive and the Sarawak government has spent RM361.80 million on it,” it added.
It also noted that the state government was still receiving complaints from the people who considered themselves eligible for the BKSS B40 Head of Household and BKSS B40 for Singles incentives but they were not listed as recipients.
“As such, the Sarawak government has allowed for BKSS 2020 appeals to be made to the respective district offices or via online,” it said, adding it had obtained the latest information on B40 head of household and single individuals from IRBM in June 2020. Based on the appeal and latest B40 information from IRBM, there are 788,534 eligible recipients, which is an increase of 267,617 recipients or 51.2 per cent.
“The Sarawak government has continued to pay the BKSS 2020 B40 including additional eligible recipients in July and August with a total expenditure of RM319.92 million,” it said.