The next mission is to improve perception of crime rate

Welcome aid: Ipoh Barat MCA division chairman Datuk Tan Chin Meng (left) handing out the BR1M 2.0 payment to 81-yearold Yong Yow Choy (centre) and his wife Wong Ah Keng, 75, at Glamour Square Shopping Centre in Bercham.

 

KUALA LUMPUR: Some 4.18 million households have benefited from the 1Malaysia People’s Aid (BR1M) programme, which was started to help the people cope with the rising cost of living.

According to the Government Transformation Programme (GTP) Annual Report 2012, BR1M has helped more households in the country than initially targeted.

“The original target, based on the Statistics Department’s Household Income Survey 2009/10, was 3.4 million households,” said the report, adding that the actual number of recipients was more than 4.17 million households, which was 22.91% higher.

Under the BR1M programme, households earning RM3,000 and less a month are each given a one-off cash assistance of RM500.

This was further extended with a RM250 assistance covering single unmarried persons aged 21 and above and earning not more than RM2,000 a month.

Another initiative under the NKRA for rising cost of living is the 1Malaysia People’s Welfare Aid (KAR1SMA) cash assistance ranging from RM100 to RM450 to recipients who include senior citizens, the disabled, single mothers and widows of police and military personnel.

The report said some RM1.4bil in KAR1SMA aid was distributed last year.

The GTP also offers programmes providing basic needs at affordable costs, through the 1Malaysia Clinic and Kedai Rakyat 1Malaysia (KR1M). As of Dec 31 last year, 168 1Malaysia clinics provided medical care at a nominal fee of RM1. The target in 2013 is to establish 80 more such clinics.

Meanwhile, 59 KR1M stores were set up last year, offering essential goods at 30% to 40% lower than prices at conventional stores.

As for the second phase of KR1M, residents in rural areas will see its goods being distributed to “Mom and Pop” stores in various districts. The target for KR1M is to establish 50 stores every year until 2015.

(Source: The Star Online)