Vital measure for low-income households

THE Bantuan Prihatin Rakyat (BPR) is a vital short-term measure to realise the country's long-term goal for low-income groups to climb the poverty ladder, an economist noted yesterday.

Bank Islam chief economist Dr Mohd Afzanizam Abdul Rashid said the cash assistance could ease the financial hardships battering low-income households to a certain extent.

"The money can at least help them pay for basic needs like food and utilities.

"The BPR serves as a stopgap measure for the Perikatan Nasional government to achieve its ultimate goal to help the low-income groups and other affected parties from being plunged into severe poverty.

"This transition also requires additional policies and measures such as providing training for them to acquire new skills, job matching for those who are looking for employment and seed capital for those aspiring to start their own business," he told the New Straits Times.

Mohd Afzanizam said the amount of financial assistance could also vary based on the recipients' condition since there is no one-size-fits-all solution.

"Some of them may have a dire living condition especially those who have critical illness or even permanent disability.

"The ultimate goal, however, is always to ensure an upward social mobility for the recipients so that they and their offspring can lead a better life."

The Bantuan Sara Hidup (BSH) aid which was offered last year involved an allocation of RM5 billion and benefited some 4.5 million recipients.

Meanwhile, the BPR, which will be provided in three phases this year (February, May and September), involves an allocation of RM8.5 billion and is expected to benefit some 8.5 million recipients.

Under the Strategic Programme to Empower the People and Economy (Pemerkasa), Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin also announced an additional RM1.2 billion allocation to provide Loss of Income Assistance to 2.4 million people.

In the first category, a one-off cash assistance of RM500 would be provided to those in the B40 income group who have lost their income.

Under the second category, BPR recipients earning RM1,000 and below will be given a payment of RM500. - NST

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